RSMM: A focus area maturity model for research software projects

Information and Software Technology, vol. 195, pp. 108138

Abstract

Context: Research software is instrumental in producing research results. It plays a special role in advancing scientific discovery through tasks such as data analysis, simulation, and visualisation. However, despite its importance, the organisations that produce research software face challenges in managing research software projects. Existing frameworks for software engineering often overlook the needs of research software, including research software engineering practices and open science principles. Without clear guidance, organisations that produce research software must develop and invent new techniques for research software engineering, which is a slow and costly process. Objective: This work presents RSMM, a maturity model designed to improve organisational practices in research software project management. Methods: The initial version of RSMM was developed through a systematic literature review. Expert interviews were then conducted to evaluate and refine the model. Finally, multiple case studies were carried out to validate RSMM and demonstrate its applicability in real-world settings. Results: The final version of RSMM (v1.0) comprises 79 best practices, 17 capabilities, and 10 maturity levels, organised into 4 focus areas: ‘Software Project Management’ , ‘Research Software Management’ , ‘Community Engagement’ , and ‘Software Adoptability’ . We provide a comprehensive analysis of RSMM v1.0 and demonstrate its practical applicability through two illustrative case studies. Conclusion: The RSMM is designed to help organisations in evaluating and improving their research software project management by assessing a project’s current maturity level and providing best practices across four focus areas to guide its progression.

Authors 7

1. Deekshitha corresponding Aachen

   Leiden University · Utrecht University · Netherlands eScience Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

   Netherlands eScience Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

   Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

2. Rena Bakhshi

   Netherlands eScience Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Netherlands eScience Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

3. Jason Maassen

   Netherlands eScience Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Netherlands eScience Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

4. Carlos Martínez-Ortiz
5. Rob V. van Nieuwpoort
6. Antti Knutas

   Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   LUT, Lappeenranta, Finland

7. Slinger Jansen

   Utrecht University

   Affiliation as printed

   Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands