A model for community-driven development of best practices: the Ocean Observatories Initiative Biogeochemical Sensor Data Best Practices and User Guide

The field of oceanography is transitioning from data-poor to data-rich, thanks in part to increased deployment of in-situ platforms and sensors, such as those that instrument the US-funded Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). However, generating science-ready data products from these sensors, parti...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Frontiers in Marine Science Vol. 11
Main Authors:	Palevsky, Hilary I., Clayton, Sophie, Benway, Heather, Maheigan, Mairead, Atamanchuk, Dariia, Battisti, Roman, Batryn, Jennifer, Bourbonnais, Annie, Briggs, Ellen M., Carvalho, Filipa, Chase, Alison P., Eveleth, Rachel, Fatland, Rob, Fogaren, Kristen E., Fram, Jonathan Peter, Hartman, Susan E., Le Bras, Isabela, Manning, Cara C. M., Needoba, Joseph A., Neely, Merrie Beth, Oliver, Hilde, Reed, Andrew C., Rheuban, Jennie E., Schallenberg, Christina, Walsh, Ian, Wingard, Christopher, Bauer, Kohen, Chen, Baoshan, Cuevas, Jose, Flecha, Susana, Horwith, Micah, Melendez, Melissa, Menz, Tyler, Rivero-Calle, Sara, Roden, Nicholas P., Steinhoff, Tobias, Trucco-Pignata, Pablo Nicolás, Vardaro, Michael F., Yoder, Meg
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Frontiers Media S.A 03-04-2024
Subjects:	beta testers biogeochemical sensors ocean best practices ocean observatories initiative working group
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	The field of oceanography is transitioning from data-poor to data-rich, thanks in part to increased deployment of in-situ platforms and sensors, such as those that instrument the US-funded Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). However, generating science-ready data products from these sensors, particularly those making biogeochemical measurements, often requires extensive end-user calibration and validation procedures, which can present a significant barrier. Openly available community-developed and -vetted Best Practices contribute to overcoming such barriers, but collaboratively developing user-friendly Best Practices can be challenging. Here we describe the process undertaken by the NSF-funded OOI Biogeochemical Sensor Data Working Group to develop Best Practices for creating science-ready biogeochemical data products from OOI data, culminating in the publication of the GOOS-endorsed OOI Biogeochemical Sensor Data Best Practices and User Guide. For Best Practices related to ocean observatories, engaging observatory staff is crucial, but having a “user-defined” process ensures the final product addresses user needs. Our process prioritized bringing together a diverse team and creating an inclusive environment where all participants could effectively contribute. Incorporating the perspectives of a wide range of experts and prospective end users through an iterative review process that included “Beta Testers’’ enabled us to produce a final product that combines technical information with a user-friendly structure that illustrates data analysis pipelines via flowcharts and worked examples accompanied by pseudo-code. Our process and its impact on improving the accessibility and utility of the end product provides a roadmap for other groups undertaking similar community-driven activities to develop and disseminate new Ocean Best Practices.
ISSN:	2296-7745 2296-7745
DOI:	10.3389/fmars.2024.1358591