Talk:Open science and research roadmap 2014–2017

Govlab and Opasnet practices for Finnish science and policy (GOVNET)

Instructions for application:

Hakukuulutus Avoimen tieteen ja tutkimuksen edistäminen sekä avoimuuden hyödyntäminen innovaatiotoiminnassa [2]
Academy instructions

Abstract

GOVNET is a research project that combines knowledge about open science and government from three different lines of development: a) Opasnet web workspace and open policy practice to support open environmental health assessments and related societal decisions; b) the Government Lab at the University of New York to develop open governance; and c) Innovillage website to support the developing and spreading of good practices in health and social sector. The project consist of a researcher visit to New York to mutually learn from these developments, and a literature review of related topics. As an output, the project will produce a commentary paper of development suggestions about the recent Open Science and Research Roadmap 2014-2017 and new open science practices that utilise the lessons learned and that are described and spread via the Innovillage method.

GOVNET on tutkimushanke, joka yhdistää tietämystä avoimesta tieteestä ja avoimesta hallinnosta kolmesta eri kehityslinjasta: a) Opasnet-verkkotyötilasta ja avoimesta päätöksentekokäytännöstä, jotka edistävät ympäristöterveysarviointien tekemistä ja siten yhteiskunnan päätöksentekoa; b) New Yorkin yliopiston GovLab-yksikön kehitystyöstä avoimen hallinnon kehittämiseksi; ja c) Innokylä-verkkosivustosta, joka tukee hyvien käytäntöjen kehittämistä ja juurruttamista sosiaali- ja terveyssektorilla. Projektissa tehdään tutkijavierailu New Yorkiin kuvattujen asioiden oppimiseksi ja opettamiseksi molemminpuolisesti sekä tähän liittyen kirjallisuuskatsaus aiheesta. Projekti tuottaa kommenttijulkaisun, joka sisältää kehitysehdotuksia tuoreeseen Avoimen tieteen ja tutkimuksen tiekarttaan, sekä toimintamalleja avoimen tieteen toteuttamiseen. Nämä toimintamallit hyödyntävät hankkeessa opittua ja ne kuvataan ja levitetään Innokylän kautta.

Research plan

Project details

Name: GovLab and Opasnet practices for Finnish science and policy (GOVNET)
Name in Finnish: GovLab- ja Opasnet-käytännöt suomalaisen tieteen ja päätöksenteon tukena (GOVNET)
Principal investigator: Jouni Tuomisto, chief researcher, THL
Duration: 7 months during 2015-2016
Site of research: National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio and The Government Lab, New York, USA.

Background

Open science and open governance are two parallel mega-trends that both emerge from the idea and observation that more open information and participation tend to produce more robust and fault-free outputs. The partners of this application are pioneers in this area with ideas such as Wiki Government in 2009 ^[1] and Open Risk Assessment in 2007 ^[2] (which later on developed into open policy practice in 2014 ^[3]). Also Innovillage is based on the idea that good practices spread better when they are shared openly and developed together ^[4].

The GovLab is an organisation within the New York University that is based on ideas of Wiki Government. It develops new practices for open governance. Their key method is to test ideas in practice to see what works. Opasnet is a web workspace for making science-based impact assessments and models to support societal decision making. The web workspace is designed to implement open policy practice, a systematic method to produce relevant information for decision support. Innovillage is a project within the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in Finland. It aims at collecting, developing, and sharing good practices within the health sector.

The Ministry of Education and Culture has recently published a roadmap toward open science in Finland ^[5]. Also, the Ministry of Justice is actively involved in the international project Open Government Partnership ^[6], which promotes e.g. public participation and open knowledge.

Science and policy are even more intertwined than usually acknowledged. A major reason for non-optimal decisions in even developed societies is that the information available to decision makers at the time of decision is not all that actually exists. The information is not publicly available, or it is in a format usable by an expert only, or it has not been processed quickly enough to answer timely questions, or it is masked by false information not holding against scientific scrutiny.

Paradoxically, the current policy trend is a demand for more evidence-based policy support, but the budget cuts of research and research institutes actually make this harder. This seems to be a no-confidence motion about the capability of research institutes to provide what decision makers need. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop scientific practices to be more useful for the society, and develop the policy practices to be capable of demanding for evidence and then be capable of using it as the basis for decisions.

In this project, we join the forces of researchers and policy experts to produce exactly that.

Objectives and expected results

The objectives of this project are to:

bring the open policy practice method into a new setting in the GovLab and test for its applicability,
develop open policy practice further based on lessons learned in the GovLab,
learn from the GovLab projects about how to implement open governance in Finland and with open science,
describe the new practices in platforms promoting their use and further development,
provide ideas and recommendations on practical implementation of open science and open governance in Finland.

The key idea of the project is a mutual learning process of several approaches in openness, science, and government. They have different starting points: Opasnet started from risk assessment of environmental pollutants; the GovLab started from public hearings of legal processes with patent applications; and Innovillage started from development of good practices in health care. Despite different topics, they all realised the importance of openness, participation, and learning in their respective processes. They also understood that their processes were in essence information production processes for practical purposes. Because of this shared philosophical foundation, all these approaches have developed practices and tools that could easily be used also by the other approaches.

However, learning from another approach is hard work, if the aim is more enthusiastic than just superficial acknowledgement of the other's key points. The development of a deeper, practical understanding of the other approach needs practical work and personal involvement on the topic. In this case, we believe that all of the approaches have unique innovations that will bring enlightenment to the others, and that the shared philosophy makes it easier to understand the merit of these innovations. Therefore, the core of this project is research exchange and collaboration where this mutual hands-on learning and teaching is possible.

The key outputs of this project are guidance and materials that help other researchers, authorities, and decision makers learn and use these innovations. In addition, the innovations will be implemented in the practices and tools. For example, Opasnet is currently an excellent platform for an impact assessment modeller, but its group functionalities for public involvement are not as well developed. We expect that the GovLab's large practical and technical experience and expertise on this helps to improve participation also in Opasnet work. Mutually, open policy practice in Opasnet has clear guidance on how to collect and develop scientific information, and there is even a university course based on this. ^[7] These are useful new practices for the GovLab. Taken together, the different approaches in this project have a lot to offer to open science and open governance in general.

The project will produce

an article about open science and open governance based on a literature review and project collaboration,
practices for open science and open governance, published in the Innovillage website,
recommendations for the open science roadmap, and
learning material about the most important innovations, in the form of 10-15 lecture videos and related homeworks.

Project plan

Research methods and material, support from research environment

   Research methods, described so as to explain how they will contribute to answering the research questions/confirming the hypotheses, or how they will support the chosen approach
   Research material
   Data management plan, describing:
   -       how the research data will be obtained
   -       how the data will be used
   -       how the data will be stored and protected
   -       how subsequent use of the data will be facilitated, and how the data will be made available to others
   -       how the rights of ownership and use to the data are distributed.
   What kind of tangible support will the project receive from local, national and international research environments?
   Use of research infrastructures, description of how the project benefits from such use (the infrastructures are also entered in the online application under Infrastructures)

I will merge the ideas from the handbook (or handbook version 2, which should be published soon) and open policy practice into one coherent open science and policy handbook (let's call it version 3),
possibly update some functionalities in Opasnet, if the handbook v3 warrants that,
then come to New York where I will explore the relevance of the handbook v3+Opasnet to your civic tech/governance-oriented research and advisory work in several policy areas, health care primary among them,
at the same time, I will explore the relevance of your project-based innovations, both analytical and technological, as well as those of individuals and groups in our extended networks, to the further development of handbook v3+Opasnet,
back in Finland, I will produce a draft handbook v4+Opasnet (with maybe some additional functionalities) to the ministry for review and implementation.

Ethical issues

Sensitive data, patients or animals are not handled in the project. There are no ethical issues to be concerned of.

in collaboration with CSC - IT center for science

Implementation and budget

Implementation: schedule, budget, distribution of work

   Schedule for the research
   Justifications for the total cost estimate specified on the application, by type of expenditure (budget table with justifications). Costs that do not pass through the books of the site of the research must not be included in the total project costs.
   Names, tasks and salary costs (with justifications) of project staff. If the names are not known, enter N.N.
   In research projects (Academy Projects, projects in research programmes), also include:
   -       an estimate of the PI’s working hours on the project
   -       if funding (max. 12 months) is applied for to cover the PI’s salary: give clear, research-specific reasons for the salary
   -       if the PI does not have a permanent employment relationship: include a salary plan for the PI for the funding period

Budget

The overhead is 15 % for the projects funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The social security costs are 57 % in THL.

Person-months 2015-2016(pm)
Obs	Name	Salary	2015/9	2015/10-12	2016/1-3	2016/4-6	Description
1	J.T.	5500	0.25	2.25	1	1	Full time during NY visit, 25-33 % otherwise.
2	A.A.	4000	0	1	1.5	1.5	33-50 % of full-time employment

Other costs(€)
Obs	Cost type	2015/9	2015/10-12	2016/1-3	2016/4-6	Description
1	Travel costs	0	5000	0	1500	2015: 2-month trip to NY, 2016: 1-week trip to NY

+ Show code - Hide code

library(OpasnetUtils)

dat <- opbase.data("Op_en7018", subset = "Person-months 2015-2016")
dat$Obs <- NULL
htkk <- Ovariable("htkk", data = dat[colnames(dat) != "Salary"])
muut <- Ovariable("muut", data = opbase.data("Op_en7018", subset = "Other costs"))
muut@data$Obs <- NULL

palkka <- Ovariable("palkka", data = dat[colnames(dat) != "Result"])
colnames(palkka@data)[colnames(palkka@data) == "Salary"] <- "Result"

oprint(htkk)

palkka <- oapply(htkk * palkka, INDEX = "Period", FUN = sum)
sk <- palkka * sk
yk <- (palkka + sk) * yk

selite <- Ovariable(
	output = data.frame(Cost.type = "Salary", Result = 1), 
	marginal = c(TRUE, FALSE)
)
budjetti <- palkka * selite
selite@output$Kustannuslaji <- "Social security costs"

budjetti@output <- orbind(budjetti@output, (sk * selite)@output)
selite@output$Kustannuslaji <- "Overhead"
budjetti@output <- orbind(budjetti@output, (yk * selite)@output)
budjetti@output <- orbind(budjetti@output, ( 1 * muut)@output)
oprint(budjetti)
oprint(oapply(budjetti, INDEX = c("Period", "Cost.type"), FUN = sum), digits = 0)
oprint(oapply(budjetti, INDEX = c("Period"), FUN = sum), digits = 0)
oprint(oapply(budjetti, cols = c("Name", "Period", "Cost.type"), FUN = sum), digits = 0)
oprint(oapply(budjetti, INDEX = character(), FUN = sum), digits = 0)

Research team, collaboration

Jouni Tuomisto (THL), Dr.Med.Sci., adjunct professor, chief researcher, principal investigator: Tuomisto has over 20 years of research expertise in environmental health issues such as dioxins, air pollution, and toxicology. In addition, he has worked more than 10 years on risk assessment, impact assessment, and decision support. He is the main developer of open assessment, open policy practice, and Opasnet web workspace. He has served in several national expert panels.
Arja Asikainen (THL), Ph.D., researcher: Asikainen has over 10 years of expertise in environmental and environmental health research and impact modelling. Her main areas of expertise include fine particles and other air pollutants, exposure assessment, and burden of disease.
Beth Simone Noveck (GovLab), professor of law: Noveck directs The Governance Lab and its MacArthur Research Network on Opening Governance. She is Global Network Visiting Professor at New York University, and she was formerly a Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of Public Service and a visiting professor at the MIT Media Lab. She served in the White House as the first United States Deputy Chief Technology Officer and director of the White House Open Government Initiative (2009-2011). UK Prime Minister David Cameron appointed her senior advisor for Open Government, and she served on the Obama-Biden transition team.
Alan Kantrow (GovLab), Ph.D., Chief Learning and Communications Officer: Prior to joining The GovLab, Alan was Managing Partner of Alan Kantrow LLC, where he provided advice on strategy, organization, innovation, communication, and knowledge management to corporations, colleges and universities, and government entities focused on educational and economic development in many different parts of the world. He is also a Senior Advisor to HCD Global in Shanghai.

THL is a government research and expert institute in Finland. Its environmental health part in Kuopio is a leading research unit in its field. Environmental health assessments and policy support are its key areas of activity.

The GovLab strives to improve people’s lives by changing how we govern. The GovLab designs and tests technology, policy and strategies for fostering more open and collaborative approaches to strengthen the ability of people and institutions to work together to solve problems, make decisions, resolve conflict and govern themselves more effectively and legitimately.

Mobility plan

   Description of possible researcher mobility from Finland (or to Finland or between organisations in Finland), including information on the objectives and duration of visits and on whether the visits have been agreed. Also justify how the visits or work periods elsewhere contribute to the implementation of the research plan. (This information is also entered on the online application under Mobility.

References

↑ Beth Simone Noveck: Wiki Government. How Technology Can Make Government Better, Democracy Stronger, and Citizens More Powerful. Brookings Institution Press, Washington DC, 2009. ISBN 978-0-8157-0275-7.
↑ Tuomisto JT, Pohjola M: Open risk assessment. A new way of providing scientific information for decision-making. Publications of the National Public Health Institute B18/2007. 2007
↑ Tuomisto, Jouni T.; Pohjola, Mikko; Pohjola, Pasi. Avoin päätöksentekokäytäntö voisi parantaa tiedon hyödyntämistä. Yhteiskuntapolitiikka 1/2014, 66-75. http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2014031821621 http://en.opasnet.org/w/OPP
↑ Pohjola, Mikko V.; Pohjola, Pasi; Paavola, Sami; Bauters, Merja; Tuomisto, Jouni T. (2013) Pragmatic Knowledge Services. Journal of Universal Computer Science. 17: 3: 472-497.
↑ Science and research leads to surprising discoveries and creative insights - Open science and research roadmap 2014–2017: Reports of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland 2014:21. [1]
↑ Open Government partnership http://www.opengovpartnership.org/country/finland
↑ University of Eastern Finland: Decision analysis and risk management. A course for master of science students, 6 credit points. Held in 2011 and 2013 and will be held in 2015.

Invitation letter

We are aware of your work in developing open policy practice and the related Opasnet web workspace. These are interesting demonstrations of open science and democracy. We are also aware of your interest in evaluating these against the Open Science and Research Roadmap published by the The Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland, as well as your interest in developing these ideas and practices further.

As you and I have discussed, our mutual expectation is that, during your time with us, you will explore the relevance of the ideas and functionality embedded in the Roadmap, open policy practice, and Opasnet to our civic tech/governance-oriented research and advisory work in several policy areas, health care primary among them. At the same time, you will explore the relevance of our project-based innovations, both analytical and technological, as well as those of individuals and groups in our extended networks, to the further development of Opasnet, open policy practice, and open science in Finland.

We will be happy to provide you with office space, technical support, wireless access, and an eager group of interested and interesting colleagues. We will not, however, be responsible for your compensation, benefits, living arrangements, or travel expenses.

Metadata about document GovLab practices in Opasnet (in Finnish) help
Nimi: GovLab practices in Opasnet Tehtäväryhmä: 6.00.01.08 Tehtäväryhmän nimi: Rahoitushakemus Rekisteröinti: Vastuualue: Vaikutusarviointiyksikkö Vastuuhenkilö: Jouni Tuomisto Luotu: 20.1.2015 Säilytysaika: 15 v Säilytysmuoto: Sähköinen Julkisuus: Julkinen Suojeluluokka: 2 (tutkimuksellisista, juridisista tai taloudellisista syistä suojeltavat asiakirjat) Lisätiedot: Pysyvä linkki: [3] Hyväksyntä: Ei ole

Hakemus

Hakijan nimi / Sökandens namn (yhteisön rekisteröity nimi / registrerat namn på sammanslutning) *

Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos

Nimilyhenne / Namnförkortning

THL

Hakijan kotikunta /Sökandens hemkommun

Helsinki

Yhteisön yhteyshenkilö /Sammanslutningens kontaktperson

Jouni Tuomisto

Hakijayhteisön Y-tunnus/ Sammanslutningens FO-nummer

2229500-6

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1.1.2009

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Mannerheimintie 166 / PL 30

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00271 Helsinki

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jouni.tuomisto.at.thl.fi

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029-5246305

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Pohjola Pankki Oyj IBAN:FI84 5000 0120 2506 82 BIC:OKOYFIHH

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Hankkeen nimi / Projektets namn

Hankkeen suunniteltu alkamis- ja päättymisaika / Datum för projektets planerade början och slut

1.9.2015 - 30.6.2016

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