A Research Computing and Data Capabilities Model for Strategic Decision-Making

Research Computing and Data is changing at an accelerating rate, while the range of fields and disciplines depending on the cyberinfrastructure is expanding and becoming increasingly diverse. This poses significant challenges to academic institutions as they try to effectively assess and plan for the necessary support infrastructure to keep pace with the needs of researchers. We present a Research Computing and Data Capabilities Model that identifies the range of relevant approaches to fully support and enable research computing and data on campuses. This model allows institutions to assess their current capabilities, and provides structured input into strategic decision making, using a shared community vocabulary. We describe the background of the Model, key concepts and features of the Model and an associated assessment tool, initial experience in the community and lessons learned, and a roadmap for further development.