This report holds a subset of an integrated thesis involving the development and testing of an educational tool named ”Playlist,” aimed at improving the learning experience of Computer Science & Engineering bachelor students at the TU Delft. The Playlist tool was developed as a feature for the existing tool called Skill Circuits, supporting students in creating personalized sequences of learning activities for their study sessions. The integrated research contributes to the complexities of modern digital learning environments and the challenges students face in navigating vast amounts of educational content.  The study uses a design-based research approach, which involves iterative development and research cycles and including students in the evaluation phases. This report focuses on the description and design of these phases. For each phase, it then reports on how the design of the Playlist tool utilized user feedback gathered through surveys and focus group sessions with Computer Science students.  Key findings in the integrated thesis indicate that playlists can improve student engagement, motivation, and overall learning experience by supporting students in finding learning activities aligned with their learning preferences and goals. The research highlights the importance of providing students with tools that improve navigating the learning environment and support them in self-directed learning. The Playlist feature not only aids students in organizing their learning activities but also promotes a holistic approach to education by incorporating supporting activities such as reflection and taking breaks.  The integrated thesis makes two contributions: it serves as an example of the design and implementation of personalization tools in higher education and provides insights into integrating such tools into an existing educational system. The thesis aims to demonstrate the potential of designing tools in an iterative manner to personalize learning and support students in achieving their learning goals.

The Delft University of Technology wants their teachers to create and publish Open Educational Resources (OER). And even though they have an OER policy in place, creating and publishing OER is not yet a common practice. Therefore, this research aims to answer the question “How can a communication tool be used to help increase the creation and/or publishing of (little) OER at the Industrial Design Engineering faculty?”. It does so by taking a design-based approach and using the double diamond method.

This thesis starts by using literature to create a combined framework which combined the reasoned action approach with the OER adoption pyramid. This combined framework showed multiple factors that are relevant in influencing the motivation of teachers to create or publish OER. These motivational factors were incorporated into the questions and topics that were discussed in the semi structured interviews. The outcome of the interviews was compiled into a causal loop diagram that showed how different factors influence the willingness of teachers to create or publish OER. The causal loop diagram also showed how some factors could be both a driver and barrier depending on the situation. Based on the interview results the critical nodes were identified in the causal loop diagram. The critical nodes being: available time, perceived institutional support, perceive time and effort it cost to publish OER, clarity in expectations of OER, social responsibility to create/publish OER, Sharing ER with colleagues.

Using the critical nodes, a design goal was formulated. This design goal resulted in the design of a roadmap that laid out the phases in which the TU Delft can support IDE teachers in publishing their educational resources as open educational resources. The first phase addresses the creation of a designated support team and spreading awareness about OER. The second phase outlines that teachers first publish in a closed system, since sharing their material with colleagues is something teachers already do. During the second phase the educational material will also be improved via peer-to-peer feedback and the support team will ensure the quality. In the final phase the material will be published as open educational resource.

In conclusion, using this roadmap should make it easier to increase the creation and publication of OER at the IDE faculty by lowering barriers for teachers and playing into teachers’ drivers. For further research, it is recommended to validate the design and look into possible differences between teachers for master and bachelor courses.

The use of Agile methodologies has been steadily growing in popularity in recent years, with many organisations across various industries adopting it to manage their projects. This shift in project management practices has replaced traditional project management styles, and Agile methodologies like Scrum, SAFe, and Kanban are widely used. However, there has been a lack of research into the impact of Agile on project success in the financial industry, specifically in the Netherlands.

This research aims to fill this gap by examining the perceived impact of adopting agile methodologies in technology-driven projects within asset management firms in the Netherlands through a qualitative study using thematic analysis through semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The study aimed to gain insights into the reasons, challenges, benefits, success criteria, and key factors influencing project success in the context of agile implementation. Through interviews with experienced agile team members, valuable insights were obtained. It was found that agile methodologies are not the sole cause of project success, as success is influenced by a combination of factors. Agile methodologies empower teams to adapt and respond to changing circumstances, providing a solid foundation for handling challenges and embracing positive change. The research highlights the importance of having the right people with the right mindset and behaviour in key positions within the organisation. Teamwork and acceptance of other contributing factors are at the core of agile methodologies. Agile provides a framework for effective collaboration and flexibility, enabling organisations to leverage its benefits and improve project outcomes. The findings emphasise the need for alignment between the organisation's culture and the principles of agile methodologies. It is crucial to create an environment that fosters teamwork, encourages open communication, and supports continuous improvement.

The research findings reveal that asset management firms adopt Agile methodologies in technology-driven projects for various reasons, such as increased flexibility, faster delivery cycles, improved collaboration, and better adaptation to changing requirements. However, challenges related to resistance to change, stakeholder alignment, and the need for continuous learning and skill development were identified. Despite these challenges, the perceived benefits of Agile were evident, highlighting its ability to enhance project outcomes. The criteria used to measure project success in technology-driven projects within asset management firms encompass a combination of quantitative and qualitative factors. While meeting project timelines and budgets was important consideration, other success indicators included customer satisfaction, quality of deliverables, stakeholder engagement, and adherence to project goals. This multidimensional approach to measuring success reflects the complex nature of technology-driven projects in the asset management sector. The research identifies several key factors that influence project success in technology-driven projects within asset management firms. These factors include effective teamwork, strong leadership, clear communication, stakeholder involvement, and the alignment of project goals with organisational objectives. The findings emphasise the critical role of these factors in overcoming challenges and ensuring successful project outcomes in the asset management industry. The experiences and perspectives of agile team members shed light on their perception of best practices for using agile methodologies in technology-driven projects. They emphasise the importance of continuous improvement, transparency, and adaptability in Agile adoption. A supportive organisational culture, ongoing training and development, and effective collaboration between team members and stakeholders are identified as crucial elements for the successful implementation of agile practices. These insights from agile team members provide valuable guidance for optimising the use of agile methodologies in technology-driven projects within asset management firms.

The research concludes that agile methodologies, when implemented effectively and supported by the right organisational culture and mindset, can significantly enhance project success in technology-driven projects within asset management firms. It is recommended that organisations invest in developing and nurturing the necessary skills, behaviours, and mindset to fully leverage the potential of agile methodologies. The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing insights into the perceived impact of agile methodologies in the specific context of asset management firms. The findings can guide organisations in making informed decisions regarding the adoption and implementation of agile methodologies to enhance project outcomes.

In our digital society, having computer science skills is becoming imperative, yet there is a shortage of computer science professionals and teachers. This shortage is linked to the perception people have of computer science and computer science professionals. This research paper answers two questions through a mixed-method study: to what extent do 7th-grade students with dissimilar backgrounds differ in their perception of computer science?” and “which characteristics of an intervention influence students’ perception of computer science?” The first question is answered by the distribution of a survey for 7th-grade students and the second by letting a smaller group play a serious game and asking open-ended questions afterward. The quantitative results showed that students’ gender influences the perception of computer science. The qualitative results showed that the factors backstory, interaction, and easiness increased students’ interest in computer science but their intention to pursue a career in computer science remained unchanged.

This thesis explores how strategic and communication design can have an influence on the adoption process of blockchain or distributed ledger technology. It does so through dividing the thesis into four parts: Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver. In short: Discover: What is found is that distributed ledger development is a technology push development. Companies only explore the technical possibilities and the viability and desirability of the technology are underexposed. This has caused for a chasm to appear between the enthusiasts and the rest of business and society. Define: Through a set of interviews it is discovered distributed ledger technology can grow the fastest if it is developed in a collaborative setting. For this to happen, more people need to join in the movement. It is determined that a new mindset needs to be created. A mindset that is daring, bold and experiment friendly. Failure should be seen as a learning moment. Develop: To make sure companies can engage in mindset development, a tool is created. This tool is based upon the realisation that an immersive and playful experience is the best way to reach an audience. Thus, a workshop is developed, based on a set of canvasses. Define: As this thesis follows a lean development cycle, a simple prototype is developed. This prototype is then iterated upon through testing, reflecting and redesigning. In the end, a design of four canvasses and a booklet is created that help companies to on-board new partners. What was found, is that strategic and communication design are two fields that compliment each other in just right way to influence the adoption of DLT. Through the iterative and user focused process of strategic design, tools were created that help people to understand the complexity of DLT through a simple and smooth experience. At the same time, communication design provided the exact approach needed in guiding a group of people through the multiple layers of complexity of DLT-ecosystems. By understanding the abstraction of their own context in contrast to the technological possibilities, new understanding and appreciation of networked-collaboration was created. This new-found appreciation should ultimately result in a foundation of common ground and understanding, upon which the adoption of DLT can be built and spread.

This research project aims to find a way for the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague to communicate about their museum building to its visitors. The museum building is to become an explicit part of the visitor experience. By means of design-based research a list of design requirements was composed and a web-based mobile application was designed as communication tool.

The goal of this graduation project, conducted for the master science communication at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), was to design a tool to help partners of diabetes type 1 patients to come closer to the patient, by conversations about diabetes, to gain more insights in how the patients feels and how to support. The project is part of the Integrated Care Program for Diabetes type 1 patients (INCAP) in which ultiple partners are involved (SERMAS, Medtronic, Universidad Politécnica Madrid, TU Delft).

Door middel van het vak Onderzoek & Ontwerpen, opgezet door de Stichting Technasium, ontwikkelen leerlingen vakoverstijgende competenties. Het is noodzakelijk dat leerlingen deze competenties zelfregulerend leren ontwikkelen; dit verhoogt de effectiviteit van het leerproces. Doel van het onderzoek was om een bijdrage te leveren aan de ontwikkeling van praktische handvatten, voor leerlingen en docenten, om het zelfregulerend ontwikkelen van competenties in groepen binnen het technasium te kunnen ondersteunen.
De ontwikkelde handvatten bestaan uit een combinatie van een Competentiemonitor en een POP-formulier (persoonlijk ontwikkelplan). De Competentiemonitor wordt gebruikt om de ontwikkeling van de leerling visueel in kaart te brengen, over een langere periode, om sterke en zwakke punten te identificeren en leerdoelen te kiezen. Voor deze Competentiemonitor is gebruik gemaakt van een indeling in zes competentieclusters, en twintig daaronder gegroepeerde competenties, zoals opgesteld door de Stichting Technasium (Van den Brink, 2016). Het POP-formulier ondersteunt het leerproces tijdens een projectperiode door middel van prompting op drie momenten tijdens het project, volgens de drie fasen (forethought-, performance- en self-reflection phase) van het cyclisch proces van zelfregulatie volgens Zimmerman (2000).
Het onderzoek is gedeeltelijk uitgevoerd in samenwerking met de Stichting Technasium. De methode is getoetst in de lespraktijk op het technasium van het Calandlyceum in Amsterdam, door middel van design-based research (DBR). Met het oog op triangulatie is gebruik gemaakt van een mixed-methods opzet. Voor het kwantitatieve deel van het onderzoek is dezelfde anonieme vragenlijst drie keer afgenomen onder 200 technasiumleerlingen van het Calandlyceum. De interventiegroep (3e en 5e klas) heeft gedurende twee projectperiodes (kwartalen) gewerkt met de nieuwe methode, en de controlegroep (2e, 4e en 6e klas) heeft gewerkt met de methode die voorheen al werd gebruikt op het Calandlyceum. Het kwalitatieve deel van het onderzoek bestond uit semi-gestructureerde interviews met 16 leerlingen van de interventiegroep over hun ervaring met het werken met de nieuwe methode, en groepsgesprekken met 8 leerlingteams, waarin hun leerproces en het ingevulde POP-formulier werden besproken.
Uit de resultaten blijkt dat de methode een positieve invloed heeft op alle vier gemeten dimensies: (1) metacognitieve kennis over de competentie-ontwikkeling, (2) attitude jegens werken aan competentieontwikkeling met aangereikte methode, (3) volgen van drie stappen van cyclisch proces volgens Zimmerman (2000) en (4) intensiteit van samenwerken ten behoeve van persoonlijke leerdoelen. Resultaten van het kwalitatieve onderzoek hebben de resultaten van het kwantitatieve deel van het onderzoek bevestigd. Belangrijke aspecten van de methode zijn de specifieke gedragsbeschrijvingen in de monitor, visuele weergave van het niveau van competenties en de progressie van de ontwikkeling, structuur en prompts in het POP-formulier en het daardoor effectiever in groepsverband samen kunnen werken aan de persoonlijke ontwikkeling – leerdoelen werden (in de succesvolle gevallen) binnen het team bij de start besproken en de taakverdeling werd hierop aangepast door de teamleider.
Het praktisch nut van, onder andere, de theorie van Zimmerman (2000) is bevestigd door de gemeten positieve effecten van de methode. De methode is geschikt voor de O&O-lespraktijk. In de discussie worden aanbevelingen gedaan voor doorontwikkeling van de Competentiemonitor en inzet van de methode in de lespraktijk.

In the Netherlands, 2,5 million people are low-literate, which means they have trouble with reading, writing, numeracy or digital skills. As a result, they can experience difficulty with everyday tasks such as making a grocery list or taking public transport. Low-literacy negatively impacts both the individual as well as society. Despite efforts to address low-literacy, the percentage of low-literates is rising. It is not just the older generation, five percent of 16-24-year-olds are low-literate, and children of low-literate parents are three times more likely to become low-literate themselves than other children are. Two-thirds of low-literates in the Netherlands are natives, but in practice, they are the group reached less by literacy efforts. They are often ashamed and successful at hiding it because they are fluent speakers. Those in programmes are often already in mature adulthood, whereas for both the individual and society it would be beneficial if education is sought earlier in life. Therefore, this thesis tries to design an intervention reach and activate a younger group to want to address their literacy issues. The main research question is: “What are the barriers and enablers to reach and activate native Dutch low- literates, in particular, young parents?”Because low-literacy is a social problem, both the individual and societal perspective is explored: the individual perspective through interviews with the target group, the societal perspective through desk-research, and both through conversations with employees at Stichting Lezen & Schrijven who have much experience with the topic. These explorations resulted in ten design factors that serve as a basis for the intervention, as well as the insight that the low-literate’s dependency on those around him as well as the government, might be the core of the problem. As a result of this dependency, people’s self-efficacy can be diminished. A third perspective, a theoretical one, focussed on self-efficacy and related constructs, is taken. This perspective resulted in 18 extra design factors. At the same time of the theoretical exploration, the design of the intervention was started, in this way both influenced each other in the focus they had. The 19 theoretical factors go beyond the context of low-literacy and could, therefore, be applied to design projects that wish to increase self-efficacy. Resulting from insights based on context and theory, a design intervention is created that focusses on supporting young low-literate parents to engage with their children in the context of literacy through crafting. The design intervention is proposed to be offered as a promotional 11-week programme at a supermarket, available to all parents of young children, as a way to not single out those that are low-literate. The crafting instruction contains very little text, nevertheless the difficulty will slowly rise each week, the goal is to make the parent feel capable (self-efficacious) but at the same time show them they could benefit from improving their skills. The design is evaluated with professionals and users, showing that it is overall well-liked but the link to education could be improved. Due to time limitations, it was not possible to assess whether the intervention manages to increase self-efficacy, a pilot is proposed as a way to verify the effectiveness of the design. As a result of these evaluations, a final design is created that incorporates reading of the instruction even more fully.

In het hedendaagse onderwijs wordt steeds meer aandacht besteed aan 21e-eeuwse vaardigheden. Ontwerpend leren is een goed middel om leerlingen 21e-eeuwse vaardigheden bij te brengen, aldus de Verkenningscommissie wetenschap en technologie primair onderwijs (2013). Om sturing te geven aan ontwerpend leren zijn de breed geformuleerde 21e-eeuwse vaardigheden door Klapwijk, Kok, Visschedijk en Holla (2017) verder gespecificeerd en aangevuld tot zeven ontwerpvaardigheden. Om te bepalen wat formatieve evaluatie van ontwerpvaardigheden oplevert, is onderzocht welke invloed het formatief evalueren van de ontwerpvaardigheid divergent denken heeft op het leerproces van leerlingen in de bovenbouw van het primair onderwijs.

Om deze vraag te beantwoorden is een casestudie opgezet binnen de context ‘Gymmen in de toekomst’, waarin leerlingen uit groep 8 van het primair onderwijs een nieuw gymspel ontwerpen in groepen van vier leerlingen. In de casestudie zijn twee interventies van formatieve evaluatie opgenomen. In de eerste interventie voorafgaand aan het brainstormen, hebben de leerlingen klassikaal de leerdoelen van de ontwerpvaardigheid verhelderd door gezamenlijk adviezen op te stellen om divergent te denken. In de tweede interventie is de brainstorm stilgelegd om te bepalen of de leerlingen aan deze succescriteria voldoen (feedback) en waar nodig het proces bij te sturen (feed forward). 

Uit het onderzoek is gebleken dat de twee aangereikte werkvormen voor formatieve evaluatie de leerlingen ondersteunen bij het divergent denken. Door het opstellen succescriteria voor divergent denken in de werkvorm vaardigheid in beeld, hebben de leerlingen een gemeenschappelijke taal ontwikkeld waarmee zij de ontwerpvaardigheid divergent denken kunnen concretiseren. Uit de post-interviews blijkt dat het nadenken over de invulling van de ontwerpvaardigheid divergent denken, en het vastleggen hiervan in woord en beeld, een effectieve aanpak is om de leerdoelen voor de leerlingen te verhelderen. 

De werkvorm op de goede weg? ondersteunt de leerlingen bij het bepalen van het eigen niveau ten opzichte van de gestelde succescriteria voor de vaardigheid divergent denken. De werkvorm helpt de leerlingen om te bepalen welk deel van de vaardigheid zij al beheersen en waar zij zichzelf kunnen verbeteren. Zo bleek bij het stilleggen van de brainstorm dat veel leerlingen vooral binnen één ideegroep (balspelen) aan het divergeren waren, waardoor er weinig gevarieerd werd. Bij het bepalen van de volgende stap in het leerproces van de leerling is de werkvorm minder effectief gebleken, aangezien de werkvorm voorziet in klassikale feedback die niet toegespitst is op het proces van de individuele leerling of dat van de projectgroep. 

Concluderend kan worden gesteld dat het formatief evalueren van de ontwerpvaardigheid divergent denken ervoor heeft gezorgd dat de leerlingen zich beter bewust zijn van deze ontwerpvaardigheid. De leerlingen hebben een helder beeld van de vaardigheid en kunnen dat verwoorden in hun eigen taal. Daarnaast stelt het de leerlingen in staat om voor zichzelf te bepalen in welke mate zijn de vaardigheid beheersen, het helpt de leerling om te identificeren wat goed gaat en wat verbeterd kan worden. In het bepalen van een actie om het divergente denken te verbeteren ondersteunt de werkvorm in dit onderzoek onvoldoende. 

Background: There is an increasing need for structured methods that encourage effective knowledge sharing and collaborations at the working floor to implement innovation strategies, especially in case of employer - employee relationships.

Objective: This research (master thesis) focused on knowledge sharing on the work floor during interprofessional collaborations to achieve durable innovation in hierarchical organisations using Communities of Practice. An integrative practical and theoretical study has been conducted.

Research results: Communities of Practice managers can facilitate knowledge sharing in hierarchical organisations by actively fulfilling the connecting role between the innovation strategy managers and the executive professionals at the working floor. The COP managers can facilitate knowledge sharing by integrating the three levels (strategic, tactical and operational) using the Community Builder Program. Therefore, three steps need to be taken: 1) Develop close connections between the innovation strategists and themselves to align the organisation’s innovation strategy with their communities of practices’ raison d’être. 2) Design a COP strategy (using the Collaboration Analyser) aligned with the innovation strategy and simultaneously should all COP managers’ personal perspectives be aligned prior to the execution of the COP strategy. 3) Facilitate knowledge sharing and open communication in the design of the collaboration between COP members and their employers they are working with to share the gathered COP knowledge and put into practice. Use the C-Booster.

Deliverables: The research resulted in three parts: 1) Collaboration Analyser: A conceptual collaboration model that supports in knowledge sharing and helps COP managers to analyse the collaborations between COP members. 2) C-Booster: A tool that facilitates creative and collaborative thinking and open communication during the ‘fuzzy front design stage’ of the collaboration between two professionals at the working floor. 3) Community Builder Program: A program that facilitates COP management in the alignment with the innovation strategy with the collaborations at the work floor, using the model and tool.

This series – “Speaking – is part of a graduation project for a double degree in Architecture and Science Communication at the Delft University of Technology. The overall aim of this project was to design a form language that can be used in complex problem-solving processes in the field of science communication. The graduation project consists of three parts:
Part I: “Speaking architecture, a semiotic study toward understanding visual communication in architecture;
Part II: “Speaking architecture, design and analysis of a multi-interpretational market space in Haarlem;
Part III: “Speaking through form, an analogy between architectural form and communication to contribute to complex problem-solving processes.
Part I describes the research for MSc Architecture. This research was part of the Explore Lab graduation studio. This part tried to understand visual communication in architecture. The framework of visual communication that derived from this research formed the foundation for the graduation design, described in Part II. The architectural meaning of the design of a Market Hall for Haarlem was later analysed using the same method as in Part I. Based on this fourth case study, the framework of architectural communication was refined.This review was necessary to better understand the subject of architectural communication in order to cross the border into the field of science communication. Part III, lastly, translates the way in which architecture communicates to the design of a form language.

Hydrogen technology offers a promising opportunity to mitigate problems that arise due to the energy transition. It can enable storage and balancing for surplus in electricity production from intermittent resources as solar energy and wind power. Electrolysis converts green electricity into hydrogen. Hydrogen is suggested to be introduced into the current natural gas grid as sustainable replacement of natural gas in households. This allows for reduction of CO2 emissions and heating buildings that are not easily insulated. The number of poorly insulated homes is difficult using electrical low temperature heat pumps.
Even though hydrogen offers many functional advantages, there are potential barriers that may restrain the introduction of hydrogen into the energy system. Often siting of large-scale renewable energy technologies such as wind turbines and solar panels, causes anxiety and societal opposition. The reason for opposition is often distrust in institutions and technology that fails to equally distribute costs and benefits amongst stakeholders, authorities and residents.
To prevent this for hydrogen infrastructure, this research studies how hydrogen technology can incorporate local values. This allows for adapting technology to local needs and involving households in decision making. Acceptable technology and a responsible process increase trust and acceptance when the infrastructure is actually adjusted. This research answers the question which technical design choices provide for an acceptable and responsible design of hydrogen distribution and domestic use to households in Stad aan ´t Haringvliet.
Stad aan ‘t Haringvliet is used as case to research how to identify values and capabilities that play a role when designing hydrogen infrastructure for a specific local context. A participatory modelling approach is developed and executed. The approach involves stakeholders and households in the process of developing an Agent-Based Model. The model simulates the acceptability of hydrogen technology for households and identifies issues to be addressed in the next project phases. The Capability Approach and Value-Sensitive Design form the conceptual basis of this research. The effects of technology on households is assessed in terms of valuable capabilities and individual well-being. Capabilities create well-being as they allow users to choose e.g. how to heat and what technology to buy.
The outcomes of this research are specific local requirements and general knowledge on how to develop acceptable technology. Hydrogen infrastructure is acceptable when it has only a small impact on households and offers comfort and security against the same costs as the current system. Higher costs are possibly acceptable when the new system reduces CO2 emissions or offers higher comfort. However, technology alone is not able to incorporate the whole set of important values. Additional institutional measures as for example information, participation and support are required to gain long term acceptance.

Collaborations are essential for modern scientific research. Research groups cannot perform valuable scientific inquiry without working together with other researchers, due to the growth of knowledge, high specialization of scientific domains, quickly changing technology, and the appearance of complex problems. Individual scientists or single research groups do not possess enough knowledge, expertise and time to perform research which is appreciated by the funding agencies and academic publishers (Hara, Solomon et al. 2003). Nowadays research funding agencies, like the European Science Foundation prefer interdisciplinary, international and inter-institutional collaborations (Sonnenwald 2007), because these have been shown to increase the quality of research, contribute to the growth of scientific knowledge (Wray 2002).
Natural sciences and especially life sciences faced a drastic change in data management, analysis and sharing practices due to the widespread use of inquiry methods generating terabytes of data. This change is represented in the appearance of specific tools designed for life scientists to handle scientific workflows or to help computation of data (De Roure, Goble et al. 2007, Goecks, Nekrutenko et al. 2010).
Virtual Research Environments (Collaborative Virtual Environments, Collaboratories, Cyberinfrastructure, e-Infrastructure, Collaborative e-Research Communities, or Virtual Research Communities) are innovative, online, community-oriented, flexible, and secure working environments designed for scientific research groups working together (Candela, Castelli et al. 2013). VREs have the potential to change research practices, make the academic research faster, more efficient and even more transparent (Junge 2007), or even speed up the shift between fundamental research and applied science, and improve social and economic well-being (Dutton and Jeffreys 2010). Therefore, it is not surprising that research policy makers at institutional or European levels would like to develop and employ virtual research environments (Dutton and Jeffreys 2010, EU retrieved at 28-04-2015). But scientists in life sciences think differently about this topic (Allan 2009). While the EU is investing into the development of monumental VRE projects and universities build their environments separated from each other, scientists would like to use their legacy systems. Some research suggests that what they need is access to data storage and computational resources (including grid computing); as well software and services, but they do not need VREs (Allan et al. 2006).
To investigate this discrepancy between science policy makers and life science researchers, I have performed an extensive literature review, did interviews with VRE researchers, developers and users, and performed an online survey filled in by potential and actual VRE users. By generating a theoretical framework from the literature and related theories, I could rank the factors found throughout the research that determine the attitude of life science researchers towards VREs and to build a virtual collaboration readiness model. This model illustrates the requirements that need to be fulfilled to reach to a state, in which all the circumstances are given to help scientists from life sciences to adopt to virtual research environments. Finally, detailed recommendations to distinct stakeholders are listed in the Discussions.