Increase, streamline and standardise the capture of high quality, structured biological data.

Why? It has never been easier to submit biological records and this leads to increasing volumes of data. This comes at a risk that data quality will be compromised. Biological data capture and quality control is not standardised. Recorders are often unclear where to submit their data to best effect. There is frustration because multiple systems exist leading to duplication of both effort and data within the system.

The NBN will Priority Time-scale Priority for 2016-2017
1. Increase verification capacity through establishment of a UK Verification Network to share best practice, celebrate success and recruit High Ongoing Working Group 1: Quality Control and Verification
2. Streamline and standardise data capture processes and promote through use of league tables, data dashboards, summary statistics and data health checks Moderate Ongoing
3. Review and improve NBN data exchange standards to provide for more attributes (such as life stage, abundance and associations), metadata, resolution and openness High One-off with review
4. Establish an NBN Data Management Accreditation Scheme to improve data quality assurance and promote best practice for data capture and curation systems Low One-off
5. Create an NBN toolbox of data capture systems and tools that meet NBN standards Low Ongoing
6. Maintain and improve NBN Record Cleaner rule sets and identify quality of records across all NBN systems High Ongoing Working Group 1: Quality Control and Verification
7. Prepare an online recording strategy for the UK to ensure system consistency and standardisation High One-off with review Working Group 3: Biological Recording Online
8. Commission and support new data capture (especially structured, representative surveys) High Ongoing
9. Support sharing of biological data by ecological consultants Moderate Ongoing Working Group 3: Biological Recording Online Consultants Portal workstream
10. Develop a strategic approach to maintain the UK Species Inventory as the primary organisms register in the UK High One-off Working Group 8: UK Species Inventory
11. Develop a strategic approach to improve the UK Habitat Inventory and the integration of habitat classifications in the UK High One-off with review

 

Current activity

Current activity Who’s involved? Next steps Timeframe
Meeting with iRecord verifiers to discuss UK VN BRC Arrange meeting July 16
Paper outlining UK verification network prepared for NBN board BRC, NHM, FSC Present paper to board meeting Oct 16