Management of Research Data

 

Red Wharf Systems has extensive experience of developing software for all manner of research projects (see academic and medical research projects supported) from simple data capture systems to complex systems that require many months of programming effort.

Specifically, over the project lifecycle, the following might be required:

 

Set-up Phase: Based on our existing templates, Red Wharf Systems develop project specific databases to control your research project, particularly the administration of the project and the capture and validation of data at source. This saves time and makes it easier to manage the research but, most importantly, it improves the accuracy of data. It is not unusual for data being analysed at the end of a project to have been collected months or years earlier and there may be errors and omissions that, because of the time elapsed, it is not possible to confidently correct. Using our systems, data are checked and cleaned on input so that you can be confident of accuracy during analysis.

 

Data Collection Phase: Most research generates an inordinate amount of data and control of what data have been collected (and where and when) is vital. Our data management systems will resolve this problem for you. As well as providing basic systems, if required we can provide a data audit service to review your data periodically during the collection phase, providing regular reports to ensure that the dataset is complete, that sufficient data are being collected and that the dataset is logical. The audit would normally take place on your premises and, if appropriate, we can provide a data input service.

 

Analysis Phase: Because data has been validated at source and audited and controlled throughout the project, after data collection has been completed your data can be collated and prepared for analysis immediately. You receive a complete, accurate and logical set of data ready for analysis directly data collection has ceased.

 

Taken together these services ensure that your research data is correctly managed, is precise and complete and is available to you quickly when time pressure mounts towards the end of a project. This means that, whilst retaining overall control and responsibility for your research, you can confidently outsource the time consuming effort of data management.