The Open Science Framework (OSF), a key tool for managing data, will launch an update and redesign Oct. 11.

The OSF is a free, open source web application built to help researchers manage their workflows. It is part collaboration tool, part version control software, and part data archive. The OSF connects to popular tools researchers already use, like OneDrive, Box, GitHub and Mendeley, to streamline workflows and increase efficiency. The OSF facilitates sharing of materials and data within a laboratory/group or across laboratories/groups. The OSF also facilitates transparency of laboratory research and provides a network design that details and credits individual contributions for all aspects of the research process.

While extremely useful, the current version of OSF is “not entirely friendly,” according to VCU Libraries Research Data Librarian Nina Exner, Ph.D. “OSF is so flexible that it can frustrate new users who cannot easily figure out what they are looking at or how to proceed.” 

This scheduled update will bring a redesign that is more user friendly and should bring faster download times. “The functionality and preservation plan won’t change. But the interface design previews we’ve seen have a very different appearance,” said Exner, who participated in previews and feedback sessions. “The design is more modern, and reduces the space taken by the header. Navigation moves to the left with a menu design (instead of tabs that users find hard to see). Information that is now scattered in the header and subtabs, is moving to a panel to the right side."

Faculty and researchers who use OSF report its value on these points, says Exner:

• Backed-up data and materials in the cloud
• Simplified project management and collaboration with a project log  
• Alignment with workflows and compatible with OneDrive and Google Drive and other cloud-based systems   
• Improved transparency and reproducibility of your work

“The new design will help users to more easily manage their projects and connect them with key transparency resources like registered protocols. We’re looking forward to the new interface,” says Exner. 

 Guide for OSF