Transforming Digital Research Infrastructure for Environmental Science

Delivering cutting-edge Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) to support environmental science demands more than just new tools—it requires a fundamental shift in how we work. Much like the proverb “It takes a village to raise a child,” delivering effective DRI demands contributions from a broad community of professionals. Success depends not only on Research Software Engineering (RSE), but also on the combined efforts of experts in DevOps, data science, data management, and design (including Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Software Architecture) .

At UKCEH, we’ve embraced a multidimensional approach, drawing on this diverse range of skills and practices. Our large, multi-year DRI projects integrate methodologies such as Agile (Scrum and Kanban), PRINCE2, and co-design. This mix isn't always seamless. We share how these varied approaches and skill sets intersect in practice—what’s worked, where friction has arisen, and how we've adapted to meet the evolving demands of digital environmental science.

Gordon Blair (UKCEH), Kelly Widdocks (UKCEH)