New Study Is Trying To Make Things FAIR In Data

The search for a new standard in research software quality, ensuring findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability for robust scientific results.​

Research from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) and the University of Barcelona have published a new paper on FAIRsoft, a framework designed to elevate the standards of research software. This study, published in Bioinformatics, outlines how FAIRsoft applies the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles to assess research software and ensure it meets the highest standards of quality and reliability.

The Critical Role of Research Software

As research increasingly relies on computational tools, the quality and reproducibility of research software have come under scrutiny. Software errors, lack of documentation, and difficulties in reuse can severely undermine scientific outcomes. FAIRsoft aims to tackle these challenges head-on by providing a structured, measurable approach to evaluating and improving research software.

Developed by Eva Martín del Pico, Josep Lluis Gelpí, and Salvador Capella-Gutiérrez, FAIRsoft leverages a series of quantitative indicators to assess software quality comprehensively. By implementing these indicators through OpenEBench, ELIXIR’s open platform for scientific benchmarking, the team has created a robust system to monitor and enhance software practices in the Life Sciences.

The FAIRsoft framework evaluates software based on several critical dimensions:

• Findability: Ensures that software can be easily located through registries and repositories.
• Accessibility: Maintains that software and its metadata are available over time.
• Interoperability: Facilitates the software’s ability to work seamlessly with other systems and datasets.
• Reusability: Guarantees that software is well-documented, licensed, and version-controlled.

The researchers analysed metadata from over 43,000 Life Sciences tools using FAIRsoft indicators. The results revealed that while most software is highly findable, significant improvements are needed in accessibility, reusability, and interoperability. For example, only a small fraction of tools scored optimally for accessibility due to missing test data and deployment instructions.

A Step Towards Better Practices

FAIRsoft not only highlights current deficiencies but also provides a pathway for improvement. By periodically assessing software quality through OpenEBench, FAIRsoft aims to instil better practices within the scientific community, promoting the development of reproducible, reliable, and interoperable software. The FAIRsoft methodology, along with its findings, is openly available to the public. Researchers can access the dataset at Zenodo and the source code on GitLab, ensuring transparency and fostering further collaboration.

FAIRsoft’s impact extends beyond the Life Sciences. By setting a new benchmark for software quality, this framework could influence practices across various scientific disciplines, ensuring that research software everywhere is held to the same rigorous standards. As the scientific community continues to embrace these principles, the future of research software looks promisingly transparent, reproducible, and sustainable.

You can read the full paper “FAIRsoft – A practical implementation of FAIR principles for research software” in the journal of Bioinformatics.