Open Workflows

What is Open Workflows?

Open Workflows: Easy Entry Points into Research & Data Sharing is an initiative to create easy-to-understand entry points into research. Created in partnership between Science and Social Studies Adventures (SASSAk12) and AMAAZE, each project offers a step-by-step guide documenting some aspect of real research methods and outputs created by AMAAZE-labs, the founding lab member of the broader AMAAZE consortium, including how to create 3D models, how to share data, and how to use tools produced by AMAAZE. Whenever possible, guides are supplemented with video examples and other tools to help guide the learner through the workflow.

Who is Open Workflows for?

These workflows are for anybody interested in learning more about digital methods in anthropology—or other subjects for that matter!

Why create Open Workflows?

Our first motivation is access. The idea for creating these workflows sprouted from the need to have internal documentation that guided students through ongoing research and data management workflows. The objective was for one generation of students working on the project to pass down knowledge to the next generation. But then we began thinking about college students and others outside our project that might lack practical experience but who might be interested in getting involved with this type of work. Then we thought about future scientists and researchers, i.e. K-12 students and their educators. What about hobbyists and interested members of the general public? Why shouldn’t anyone who is interested in trying these methods and tools out have access to do so? Though we cannot address every single issue related to access, we can do our best to reduce barriers to entry.

Our second motivation is transparency. Materials and methods sections of peer-reviewed papers have limited page real estate for describing methods. Yes, these methods can be detailed in supplementary information, however, there are often paywalls preventing access to peer-reviewed research. Furthermore, these papers are often written in discipline-specific language which can create barriers and be a bit intimidating for fledgling anthropologists and broader readerships. Documentation can also be found in the form of markdown files and other technical documentation found on resources like GitHub. Again, these environments, the ways in which documentation is formatted and the language used, can be prohibitive and intimidating for those who do not hold expertise in technical domains.

Our third motivation is to elevate. As often as possible, these workflows are written by students working on the project. We encourage students, through support of researchers on the team and our community engagement partner, Science and Social Studies Adventures, to share their ideas from their own perspective and, in some cases, not only document the workflow, but help design it as well. The net result is that students gain valuable, transferable skills alongside tangible outputs they can add to their portfolio and carry forward to the next opportunity.

Who is SASSAk12?

Science and Social Studies Adventures (SASSAk12) connects diverse K–12 students and educators with active researchers to engage in community-based education and research. SASSAk12 builds programs that create meaningful relationships between researchers and the communities they serve through two interconnected programs: SASSA in the Classroom and Preparing Researchers for Engaging the Public. SASSA in the Classroom brings research-driven, hands-on learning to K-12 classrooms, tailored to meet teachers’ goals and students’ needs. Preparing Researchers for Engaging the Public trains researchers—especially undergraduate and graduate students and early career scholars—to share their work in ways that are relevant, engaging, and accessible.

SASSAk12 forefronts the relationship between what happens in research and what happens in society. They envision youth who are excited and interested in socially-engaged critical thinking and research, recognizing their ability to produce valuable knowledge, and feeling individual purpose and community connection. And, they envision researchers who see education and community engagement as essential to their work—researchers who are curious, collaborative, and committed to making their research accessible and relevant.

Within Open Workflows, SASSAk12 works with students in the Preparing Researchers for Engaging the Public program to write and develop these workflows. Students take active research methods, tools, and processes coming out of AMAAZE and translate them into step-by-step guides that others can follow. This includes figuring out what needs to be explained, how to structure it, and how to make it usable for someone encountering these methods for the first time.

This is a Community Effort

Open Workflows is not meant to be the final word on any given workflow. It is meant to be a starting point. We are continuing to build and revise these workflows over time, incorporating feedback, refining approaches, and adding new contributions. We welcome input from others, whether that means suggesting improvements, sharing expertise, contributing new workflows, or writing companion pieces that expand on this work.

Our goal is to build a community around shared practices, where researchers, students, and educators can learn from one another and develop resources together. If you’re interested in joining AMAAZE (anthropology, computer science, mathematics) or getting involved through SASSAk12 and Preparing Researchers for Engaging the Public, we invite you to get in touch. We also welcome input from those using these workflows. These materials are meant to evolve over time, and user feedback plays an important role in shaping future versions.

How You Can Support this Initiative

Open Workflows depends on the time, care, and mentorship that go into each of these projects. Donations to SASSAk12 directly support student authors, mentorship, and the development of these resources. If you’re in a position to contribute please consider making a donation. If you’d like to be involved in other ways, we’d be glad to connect.