Enabling structures of collaborative endeavors: Suggestions for budding communities

Abstract

The Data Curation Network, a consortium of 17 academic and non-profit data repositories, recently transitioned to a sustainable, member-funded organization. As an example of a sustainable collaborative network, we wanted to remove the magic and mystery of collaboration and unpack the emotional, mental, and technical labor that went into establishing this network. We conducted a project retrospective in March 2022 to better understand what components of our collaborative efforts were most impactful to the success and sustainability of our network. We found that our work relies on radical interdependence: in addition to our work as a collective, we grow more comfortable and adept making decisions behind the veil of ignorance, channel our vulnerability, foster psychological safety and engage in earnest, even uncomfortable, conversations about our work, which allows us to foster collaborative solutions.

In this poster, we describe the structures of radical interdependence, both tangible and intangible so participants can leave with a better understanding of the enabling factors of collaborative efforts. We will share information about three different types of critical structures that enabled the success of our work: tool-based structures, administrative structures, and trust-based structures.

Presented virtually at RDAP 2023.