Periodic Reporting for period 2 - e-shape (EuroGEO Showcases: Applications Powered by Europe)
Período documentado: 2020-11-01 hasta 2022-02-28
e-shape is driven by the need to develop operational EO services with and for the users and to create a conducive environment whereby the strengths of Europe are exploited towards addressing societal challenges, fostering entrepreneurship and supporting sustainable development. e-shape aims at setting-up and promoting a sustainable organization dedicated to users’ uptake of European EO resources, building on Copernicus and GEOSS through the development of pilots supported by co-design methods tailored to Earth Observation (i.e. application-oriented products, services or solutions) built on a user-centric approach and delivering economic, social and policy value to Europeans.
Through the 27 pilots and 10 onboarded pilots across the 7 Showcases, e-shape generates a wealth of EO data that can empower informed decision making in the respective sectors. Moreover, in the framework of the pilots, innovative tools that have been developed in previous EO or GEO actions will be further matured. In addition to these primary developments, e-shape intends to foster streamlined access to data and resources by linking to DIAS, NextGEOSS, GEOSS Platform, etc.
e-shape is also a flagship project for the European Union (EU) to contribute through worldwide efforts to GEO. In this regard, e-shape contributes to establish EuroGEO, the European regional GEO, with the aim to strengthen the benefits of GEOSS for Europe and contributes to the EuroGEO activities by providing its experience and knowledge to the EO community.
The second reporting period was complexified by the COVID crisis which risked disrupting key communication channels forming e-shape’s matrix structure. To increase efficiency and resilience, e-shape has been considerably reorganized to secure the communication workflows, and the Sprint was expanded far beyond the original concept. Organised in two phases, (April to October 2021 and October 2021 to April 2022), Sprint 2 engages all Pilots, all Showcases and all Work Packages into a common direction, organized around achieving the overall objectives of e-shape.
After a successful onboarding process (WP5), the Sprint methodology was also extended to engage the newly onboarded Pilots. Real-time monitoring is available to the WP leaders, the Showcase Coordinators and the PMT. A monthly monitoring process presented as a scorecard allows Showcase Coordinators to gather highlights from PMT and WP3, which are cascaded through the Showcase meetings.
Through the 27 pilots and 10 onboarded pilots across the 7 Showcases, e-shape generates a wealth of EO data that can empower informed decision making in the respective sectors. Moreover, in the framework of the pilots, innovative tools that have been developed in previous EO or GEO actions will be further matured. In addition to these primary developments, e-shape intends to foster streamlined access to data and resources by linking to DIAS, NextGEOSS, GEOSS Platform, etc.
e-shape is also a flagship project for the European Union (EU) to contribute through worldwide efforts to GEO. In this regard, e-shape contributes to establish EuroGEO, the European regional GEO, with the aim to strengthen the benefits of GEOSS for Europe and contributes to the EuroGEO activities by providing its experience and knowledge to the EO community.
The second reporting period was complexified by the COVID crisis which risked disrupting key communication channels forming e-shape’s matrix structure. To increase efficiency and resilience, e-shape has been considerably reorganized to secure the communication workflows, and the Sprint was expanded far beyond the original concept. Organised in two phases, (April to October 2021 and October 2021 to April 2022), Sprint 2 engages all Pilots, all Showcases and all Work Packages into a common direction, organized around achieving the overall objectives of e-shape.
After a successful onboarding process (WP5), the Sprint methodology was also extended to engage the newly onboarded Pilots. Real-time monitoring is available to the WP leaders, the Showcase Coordinators and the PMT. A monthly monitoring process presented as a scorecard allows Showcase Coordinators to gather highlights from PMT and WP3, which are cascaded through the Showcase meetings.
In support of the Pilot’s Sprint, the Work Packages have scaled up the methodologies and support platforms enabling e-shape to provide detailed, specific support to the Pilots, and to the EO community at large: the co-design methodology has matured and is under validation through an extensive roll-out to the Pilots (WP2); the Development Guide is under elaboration (WP3); User uptake has been supported through 14 workshops engaging 35 Pilots and more than 500 participants (WP4); capacity building best practices, EO maturity indicators, EOWiki are operational (WP4); institutional liaison is being expanded to thematic user groups (WP4); Sustainability support is operational and is being implemented through a dedicated support package (WP5). The first sustainability business plans are under way combined with a dedicated IP & innovation office (WP5); Upscaling is supported by onboarding and – looking beyond the TRL - the evaluation of the Pilot Exploitation Readiness Level (PERL) (WP5). Further an in-depth assessment of relevant governance models for the project has been performed, resulting in proposals to be further discussed with the EuroGEO community (WP5).
Through the Sprint, additional focus was put on the Communication activities (WP6), in particular through a mandatory Communication challenge implemented by each Pilot. On this line, the Communication performance indicators have considerably improved and are on track with the project’s expectations. Pilots have been very active in publishing, presenting and spreading the word on e-shape and EuroGEO and have been strongly supported by WP4 and WP6 in increasing their outreach to potential users and communities.
WP6 was very active on internal and external communication, support to the onboarding process, support to user uptake and support to Pilot’s communication activities. The website was considerably updated to reflect the concerns expressed during the last review and prepare for e-shape’s legacy. The various communication channels are very diversified and active to reach out and promote pilots, e-shape and EuroGEO outside the “EO-Club”.
The engagement for EuroGEO continues in the second period with a number of events organised. In each event of communication where e-shape is involved, the links with EuroGEO have been systematically stressed, and when interacting with GEO, the project is explained as a major contribution from Europe. Notably, the co-design approach and the analysis of the platforms resulting from the project were recognized by the EO community as of great interest and associate with the EuroGEO Regional initiative. Furthering its external engagement and preparing its legacy, e-shape built on its General Assembly to engage further with the similar initiatives and related H2020 projects.
e-shape has made extra efforts in the field of Data Management, compliance to FAIR ang GEO principles, compliance to INSPIRE through the development of an elaborate DMP tool and monitoring methodology, which is being transferred to the GEO community. As this tool is of interest for the EO community at large, discussions for a large dissemination of the tool allow discussion and collaboration with the GEO data Working Group, EEA, OPIDoR team, KCEO, etc. The elaboration of the Pilot metadata records in a GEOSS-harvested format, and metadata compliant to INSPIRE is undergoing investigation.
Through the Sprint, additional focus was put on the Communication activities (WP6), in particular through a mandatory Communication challenge implemented by each Pilot. On this line, the Communication performance indicators have considerably improved and are on track with the project’s expectations. Pilots have been very active in publishing, presenting and spreading the word on e-shape and EuroGEO and have been strongly supported by WP4 and WP6 in increasing their outreach to potential users and communities.
WP6 was very active on internal and external communication, support to the onboarding process, support to user uptake and support to Pilot’s communication activities. The website was considerably updated to reflect the concerns expressed during the last review and prepare for e-shape’s legacy. The various communication channels are very diversified and active to reach out and promote pilots, e-shape and EuroGEO outside the “EO-Club”.
The engagement for EuroGEO continues in the second period with a number of events organised. In each event of communication where e-shape is involved, the links with EuroGEO have been systematically stressed, and when interacting with GEO, the project is explained as a major contribution from Europe. Notably, the co-design approach and the analysis of the platforms resulting from the project were recognized by the EO community as of great interest and associate with the EuroGEO Regional initiative. Furthering its external engagement and preparing its legacy, e-shape built on its General Assembly to engage further with the similar initiatives and related H2020 projects.
e-shape has made extra efforts in the field of Data Management, compliance to FAIR ang GEO principles, compliance to INSPIRE through the development of an elaborate DMP tool and monitoring methodology, which is being transferred to the GEO community. As this tool is of interest for the EO community at large, discussions for a large dissemination of the tool allow discussion and collaboration with the GEO data Working Group, EEA, OPIDoR team, KCEO, etc. The elaboration of the Pilot metadata records in a GEOSS-harvested format, and metadata compliant to INSPIRE is undergoing investigation.
e-shape is proving successful to move forward 37 pilots into a common direction, through a standardised Sprint methodology, specific to the project. The Pilots were onbarded at different levels of maturity along the project, which created a need to align the individual Pilot workplans to the overall e-shape's objectives. The onboarding process ensured a alignment can be sought on this matter, and the 10 Pilots onboarded during the course of the project could enter the Sprint. The Sprint Challenges create interaction nexuses between the Pilot, WP and the Showcase. Each challenge has interim milestones and expected verifiable outcomes. Progresses are monitored monthly. In total, more than 400 individual actions are being implemented through Pilot-based work plans through the Sprints. The Sprint methodology seeks to demonstrate the operationalisation of the conveyor-belt concept embedded at the core of e-shape.
On the first period, each Work Package had developed its portfolio of supporting 'services', which are deployed over time with each Pilot, increasing the overall Pilot maturity, readiness, uptake and sustainability. While Sprint 1 focused on co-design and implementation, Sprint 2 opened the Sprint to the full range of e-shape support actions. The final period will seek to engage all Pilots into a consolidation of the results achieved, and the findings and lessons learnt regarding implementation and co-design. The final period should focus on ensuring user uptake, sustainability and outreach of the Pilots.
On the first period, each Work Package had developed its portfolio of supporting 'services', which are deployed over time with each Pilot, increasing the overall Pilot maturity, readiness, uptake and sustainability. While Sprint 1 focused on co-design and implementation, Sprint 2 opened the Sprint to the full range of e-shape support actions. The final period will seek to engage all Pilots into a consolidation of the results achieved, and the findings and lessons learnt regarding implementation and co-design. The final period should focus on ensuring user uptake, sustainability and outreach of the Pilots.