Development Phases

The three development phases for the Researcher Passport System are below. Follow ICPSR/Researcher Passport for updates on our progress and ways you can help!

Phase 1, 2018: Beta

This phase is all about gathering feedback from both data users and repositories, and building the underlying verification tools to be launched in Phase 2. The simple passport has been developed and we are now field testing and building the technology to digitally verify credentials. We are also researching and building the capacity to issue open badges that reflect specific verified skills and accomplishments.

For Data Users: Your passport during this phase is relatively simple – it captures your contact info, your highest degree earned, and your employment history, plus publications and any data security of research conduct trainings you have completed. You control how much or little you include here, but the more the better – repositories typically require this information AND the more you include in your passport in Phase 1, the better we can understand what user credentials are most useful to repositories.

For Data Repositories: These passports are simple and the credentials are self-reported – as we build the technology to verify user credentials, we need to hear from you about what you need in order to evaluate your data users. Questions to consider:

• What information needed to evaluate a data user isn’t already captured on the Passport?
• Is the information already collected necessary and useful?
• What kinds of technical functionality would you need in order to really incorporate this system into your application review workflow?
• What training(s) do you require and would you like to see the Passport reflect?

Phase 2, 2019: Verification

This second release will include digital verification of most credentials in the Passport, an interface for use by participating repositories to facilitate passport review and to allow visas, or data access badges, to be issued by repositories.

For Data Users: Your passport will automatically upgrade and will be more robust. ICPSR will verify most of your credentials and repositories can begin to issue visas, or data access badges, as you apply for and are granted access to restricted data. These can be reflected on your Passport and contribute to your record of responsible use of restricted data.

For Data Repositories: Existing passports will be automatically upgraded and all Passports will include verified credentials. ICPSR will publish our verification methods so that you can understand the basis for our ‘verified’ assertions. Individual credentials within Passports will be visibly marked as verified, along with a date stamp. We will provide participating repositories with a user-friendly interface for reviewing a user’s Passport, along with a simple mechanism for issuing visas, or data access badges, once you have approved access to a certain dataset to a user.

Phase 3, 2020: Badges

This third release will fully implement Open Badges, reflecting verified acquired skills, training, and approved data access.