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+---
+title: Why Describo? Where does it fit?
+aside: false
+---
+
+# Why Describo? Where does it fit?
+
+Author: Marco La Rosa, 25/7/2024
+
+::: tip Summary
+
+Describo is a flexible tool designed for researchers, librarians, and archivists working with
+text-based content in the early stages of the research data lifecycle. It provides capabilities for
+data manipulation, AI-assisted analysis, metadata creation, and standardized output, bridging the
+gap between messy workspaces and structured repositories. While complementary to national data
+initiatives, Describo focuses on supporting the research process itself, allowing users to work with
+their data in customized ways while still producing well-described, standards-compliant research
+objects.
+
+> Attribution: I asked the Describo Assistant to summarise this page for me.
+
+:::
+
+I was recently asked whether I had reached out to the
+[ARDC HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons](https://ardc.edu.au/hass-and-indigenous-research-data-commons/)
+to see whether there was potential for Describo to become part of a national data platform. I
+started writing a response but then realised that despite all the content on this website, I hadn't
+articulated "Why" anyone would actually use Describo and how it relates to broader national
+initiatives.
+
+In this article I will attempt to answer those questions. Although I'll refer to Australian national
+initiatives, I believe this applies to all national initiatives around the world.
+
+The [Strategy page on the ARDC website](https://ardc.edu.au/about-us/our-strategy/) describes their
+mission as _"accelerate research and innovation by driving excellence in the creation, analysis and
+retention of high-quality data assets"_. To support this mission there are a number of program areas
+and services to both manipulate data and make it accessible. For example, in the HASS and Indigenous
+space, this means services like the [Language Data Commons](https://www.ldaca.edu.au/) and the
+[Indigenous Data Network](https://idnau.org/).
+
+If a research project exists on a continuum spanning from idea to outcome, then these services live
+on the right hand side of it. That is, they are there to collect and make accessible work that has
+come from the research process; meaning that whilst the work is happening, it's likely not ready to
+live in those services.
+
+In reality, the research process and its associated lifecycle is better thought of as a set of
+interrelated stages.
+
+<ImageComponent src="/images/articles/why/research-data-lifecycle.webp"></ImageComponent>
+
+## Workspaces
+
+In the image we see `Workspaces` on the left in that lovely shade of pink. This is where the work is
+done and it is circular because as one gets to know the problem better, they can then further
+collect, refine and develop the work; which leads to a better understanding which leads back to
+collection and on it goes.
+
+Workspaces encompass the tools and services that the user needs to perform their work. Workspaces
+are messy - just like research is - because they can include anything given that workflows differ by
+domain and often by user. Some users might have workspaces based on Python Notebooks whilst others
+just need Microsoft Word. There is no wrong answer on this side of the diagram.
+
+### Online / Shared Workspaces
+
+In many domains shared, online workspaces are an important part of the complement of tools available
+to users provided that the user can upload their data to it given access conditions, ethics
+requirements etc.
+
+Further on I give an example of how the Nyingarn Project had to navigate issues around a shared,
+online workspace. Issues that Describo mitigates.
+
+### Describo lives here
+
+Describo is for people working with text based content in various formats. It provides tools for
+them to manipulate their data and transform it; mine it for information using AI tools and cloud
+services; describe what they're finding as linked data entity relationships; and ultimately, publish
+their work.
+
+Describo produces data objects in a standardised format: the
+[Research Object Crate (RO-Crate)](https://www.researchobject.org/ro-crate/). So, as the work is
+happening, the user can be sure that they will have a sensible data object as and when it's
+required.
+
+But Describo doesn't limit what the user can do. That is up to them and it's designed to be flexible
+enough to adapt to many different use cases as I describe later.
+
+## Repositories
+
+On the right of the image we have the `Repositories`. This is where the outputs of the research
+process go to live when **it makes sense to do so**. I'm specifically highlighting that last
+statement because it's a key point to understand. The point at which the process in the middle
+(Reusable, Interoperable data objects) is triggered depends on the project and the work being done.
+One size does not fit all. Furthermore, the repositories typically have very detailed requirements
+that must be met for data to be accepted.
+
+Incomplete is ok on this side but messy is not. My colleague Dr Mike Jones recently wrote an
+excellent article titled
+[Rewilding humanities data](https://medium.com/@huni.humanities/rewilding-humanities-data-42d9ece249a2)
+that brilliantly parallels data standardisation with the loss of diversity and value lost in tree
+plantations. I quote:
+
+> But, like carefully aligned plantations of trees, there is a danger that the fertility of the
+> system will be shortlived. Stripping away complexity means stripping away much of the meaning,
+> while the wish to remain in control is too often predicated on centralised models of surveillance
+> and the ceding of control to others.
+
+This is especially true on this side of the diagram. Typically, these `commons` services need to
+enforce particular requirements in order for them to accept data. Using LDACA as an example that
+means your data must be an RO-Crate (GOOD); the metadata must meet certain minimum requirements
+(FINE); should conform to a custom
+[Ontology ](https://github.com/Language-Research-Technology/ldac-profile/blob/master/profile/profile.md)
+(AAAARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!).
+
+There is a note at the very top explaining who the audience is but the point I want to make is that
+this is not atypical of repositories. Specifically, a constrained set of requirements for data
+acceptance with a high barrier of entry regardless.
+
+### ARDC (largely) lives here
+
+Let it be known that **I'm not advocating against the work of the ARDC or the funded projects**. The
+work that is being done is _A Good Thing&#8482;_ but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't be aware of
+the compromises required to make that work.
+
+## So how does Describo relate to the national initiatives?
+
+In short: it's complementary.
+
+Describo's target audience is the librarian, archivist, historian who is working to make sense of
+text based content. They want to understand it; describe it; reason about it; and finally, make the
+results of their efforts - their scholarship - available to a wider audience. For this user Describo
+offers tools to help them in their workflow as described in the next section. And its flexibility
+allows them to do the messy work of research in the way that suits them.
+
+Describo is complementary to the national programs because in the end, the user is left with a
+research data object that is well described, in standard metadata supported by those initiatives.
+
+Whilst being complementary to the national initiatives, at this time, Describo is not a part of
+them. My hope is that in time this will change.
+
+## Describo Persona's
+
+If the discussion above is correct, we now know where Describo fits into the landscape so let's
+consider why anyone would want to use it.
+
+### What's in the box?
+
+<SectionComponent imageSrc="/images/articles/why/archive-box.webp" :imageWidth="300">
+<template #text>
+    <p><strong>The problem statement:</strong></p>
+    <p>
+        You could be a librarian, an archivist or a historian. When confronted with a literal
+        box full of files, the next 3 - 6 months of your life will look something like this.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+        Let's start by digitising the content. The format is probably going
+        to be TIFF as it's a recognised preservation format. But it's not a great format
+        for dissemination so let's convert the images to web accessible formats in case we
+        end up putting this content online. Step 1 complete - content digitised.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+        Discovery. Now that we have the content in digitised form, let's find out what
+        it contains. Who does it talk about? What are they discussing? Why are they discussing it?
+        What relationships can we uncover from the documents? You will meticulously read,
+        consider and annotate each and every document in the set, carefully creating
+        the data structures you need to answer the questions you have.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+        When you're done, you will likely write some metadata capturing your scholarship and
+        publish it alongside your work. Then, you'll deposit your research into a repository
+        of some kind.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+        And of course, maybe you weren't 'gifted' the box of materials. Maybe you just emerged from the archives
+        with 2000 images on your phone and your eyes squinting from exposure to direct sunlight!
+    </p>
+    <p><strong>How Describo can help:</strong></p>
+    <p>
+        Describo has been specifically created to help with these processes. There are tools to batch
+        transform digitised content (e.g. produce thumbnails and webformats); services that
+        can transcribe and markup the entities described; an assistant to help you quickly understand
+        what is contained in batches of content and a visualisation tool to inspect the information
+        you've created around the data. In the end, you will have a specification compliant
+        RO-Crate that you can then take to repositories for deposit.
+    </p>
+
+</template>
+</SectionComponent>
+
+### What's in the book?
+
+<SectionComponent imageSrc="/images/articles/why/diary.webp" :imageWidth="300">
+<template #text>
+    <p><strong>The problem statement:</strong></p>
+    <p>
+        As we found in the <a href="https://nyingarn.net/" target="_blank">Nyingarn Project</a>, a common refrain from the
+        institutions holding language manuscripts was "We can't
+        make the manuscript available because we need permission to do so. But we don't
+        know what's in it so we can't identify who to ask". The Nyingarn Project was setup to handle
+        exactly this issue - providing tools for people to transcribe, inspect, describe and understand
+        Indigenous language manuscripts in order to provide access to its communities. Yet some of the
+        institutions were concerned with even putting the manuscript into the private workspace where
+        their questions could be answered.
+    </p>
+    <p><strong>How Describo can help:</strong></p>
+    <p>
+        As a local (desktop) application, institutional staff could use Describo to transcribe, annotate and
+        describe a manuscript, page by page, without the content ever leaving their computer. However,
+        subject to appropriate investigations, they could also use the cloud services to accelerate that process
+        as they have been specifically designed and architected with data privacy in mind. To read more
+        about that see: <a href="/docs/articles/how-your-data-is-handled">How is data handled inside Describo?</a>
+    </p>
+</template>
+</SectionComponent>
+
+### I don't know what I don't know
+
+<SectionComponent imageSrc="/images/articles/why/policy.webp" :imageWidth="300">
+<template #text>
+    <p><strong>The problem statement:</strong></p>
+    <p>
+        I'm yet to meet someone who would view the image as a great way to spend 4 days of their life. That said, on a planet
+        with some 8 billion people, statistically speaking, there must be at least a few who would find that
+        exciting. I'm not judging. It's just that for everyone else, how do you come to terms with a set of
+        complex and lengthy documents? How do you a) come to terms with the overall structure of the content, and then b)
+        determine whether the information contained captures all that needs to be captured?
+    </p>
+    <p><strong>How Describo can help:</strong></p>
+    <p>
+        With an AI Assistant capable of reading hundreds of pages of text in a few seconds, finding information
+        has never been easier. As the interface is conversational (natural language conversation back and forth),
+        the assistant evolves along with your understanding of the content so as to pinpoint exactly the information you are looking
+        for and help you find what it is that you don't yet know.
+    </p>
+</template>
+</SectionComponent>
+
+Hopefully this article has made clear the position that Describo aims to take. If you have any
+questions or comments, please start a conversation below!
+
+<disqus/>