Methodological Documentation
IMOS Facilities have developed and improved numerous practices across the entire value chain of ocean observations. To ensure the dissemination, visibility, uptake, and archiving of these practices in an open and accessible manner, the IMOS Office deposits practices from its Facilities into the IMOS community repository of the Ocean Best Practices System (OBPS). This typically includes field operations protocols as well as data processing and quality-control reports.
The Ocean Best Practices System
IMOS is an active contributor to the OBPS, a global initiative dedicated to improving and standardising practices for collecting, analysing, and sharing ocean data and information across a wide range of ocean stakeholders. OBPS also provides an opportunity space for the centralized and coordinated improvement of ocean practices throughout the entire ocean observing value chain.
The OBPS Repository is an online, open access document repository, designed to provide a discovery point for the ocean community to search, find, and permanently archive ocean practices, from observation to application.
This repository also serves as a critical foundation for building capacity within the ocean community. It is maintained by the International Oceanographic Data and information Exchange (IODE) of the UNESCO-IOC as an IOC (IODE, GOOS) co-ordinated activity.
IMOS Community Repository
To ensure the dissemination, visibility, uptake, and archiving of IMOS-associated practices in an open and accessible manner, the IMOS office submits all its methodological documents (including practices and Facility QA/QC documentation) into the IMOS Community Repository of the OBPS.
By making these documents openly accessible, IMOS contributes to the broader requirement for collaborative ocean observing to adhere to well-defined and reproducible methods.
This process promotes transparency, interoperability, and reproducibility of data, which strengthens trust, facilitates data sharing, supports collaboration, and drives consensus building and innovation across the ocean community.
Document Submission
IMOS has developed a framework to guide the community in submitting practices to the Ocean Best Practices System (OBPS). This document outlines:
- The submission process to the OBPS Repository
- The maturity model for classifying practices (practice, good, better, or best practice)
- IMOS criteria for endorsing practices
- Roles and responsibilities of the IMOS Office and Facilities
This ensures consistent, reliable practices and methodological documentation across the IMOS community.
IMOS Endorsement
IMOS has the capability to recommend practices for endorsement to the OBPS. Such an endorsement provides the community with clear guidance on practices that have undergone rigorous community review and consensus-building.
Endorsed practices not only promote collaboration, efficiency, and excellence in ocean research and management but also gain widespread visibility and recognition.
For more information on the criteria for endorsement, please refer to the IMOS framework for practice submission.