SowiDataNet is a research collaboration funded by the Leibniz Association. This project is composed of four partners: the Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences – GESIS (project management), the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin), the Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (ZBW) and the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB).

SowiDataNet aims to build an innovative research data infrastructure for the social and economic sciences. The main focus in this respect will be the implementation of a web-based and self-contained research data repository, which provides instruments for archiving, documenting, and distributing research data – customized to meet the needs of the scientific community. The central collection of research data has several advantages. Datasets can be archived in a sustainable and secure way and documented according to uniform standards. New search options substantially facilitate the access to the data. That implies a greater capacity for data reanalysis and a better visibility of scientific results in general.

In order to direct the new infrastructure services to the demands of the scientific community, a comprehensive requirements analysis is the project’s point of departure. In their role as data producers, researchers should be able to store their research data as easily as possible, both in terms of usability and time investment. As data users, they have high demands concerning the data description, documentation and potential search options. The interplay between these two perspectives will have to be considered during all subsequent steps within the project.

Further information can be found here: http://www.sowidatanet.de