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--- wiki:m4.0 [2025/05/22 22:44] – [Recommendation] esoeding
+++ wiki:m4.0 [2025/06/17 08:44] (current) – [4. The Recommendation and possible Consequences] esoeding
@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ======Recommendation to use IGSN as the standard reference in technical infrastructures to samples where appropriate======
-=====Description=====
+=====Summary=====
-Status: Draft 20.5.2025
+====Description====
-=====Motivation for this Recommendation: =====
+Status: V1.0 28.5.2025
+====Motivation for this Recommendation: ====
 The International Generic Sample Number (IGSN) is a globally unique and persistent identifier designed specifically for physical samples and related objects. At Helmholtz, we recommend the use of IGSNs to ensure that samples—and other tangible sources from which data are derived—can be reliably identified, referenced, and linked across research workflows. The motivation to use IGSNs lies in their ability to improve traceability, reproducibility, and data integration across disciplines. By assigning a persistent identifier to a sample, researchers can unambiguously connect it to associated datasets, publications, instruments, and collection metadata, supporting FAIR principles and enabling long-term reuse and verification of research outcomes.
-=====Recommendation ====
+====Recommendation ====
 It is recommended to use IGSN to identify samples in data infrastructures where appropriate.
@@ Line 29: / Line 31: @@
    * record a IGSN to identify samples and parent samples and make this data part of the metadata available for harvesting.
    * treat IGSN metadata as the primary source of truth and update your own metadata accordingly.
+Also see [3] Baldewein et al. (2023). FAIR WISH D7 -Standard Operating Procedure for automatic IGSN registration. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10401380
-=====Binding Convention: =====
+====Binding Convention: ====
@@ Line 38: / Line 42: @@
 ^ Helmholtz FAIR Principle|            |  X    |          |
-=====Precondition for Implementation: =====
+====Precondition for Implementation: ====
 The institution needs to be a member of Data Cite or needs to partner with a member to be able to register IGSNs.
-=====Related Recommendations =====
+====Related Recommendations ====
@@ Line 50: / Line 54: @@
 Other: none
-=====Contributors=====
+====Contributors====
-Names of contributors to this recommendation
-Manu
+Emanuel Soeding (lead)
 =====Content=====
@@ Line 90: / Line 91: @@
 Cons: Not globally unique, not resolvable, hard to track across systems or publications.
-  * Accession Numbers in Domain Repositories
-What: Identifiers assigned by domain-specific repositories or museums (e.g., GenBank accession numbers, museum catalog numbers).
-Pros: Well-integrated in their domains.
-Cons: Often not globally unique, not persistent outside their system, not interoperable across disciplines.
   * Handle System / Custom DOIs
@@ Line 125: / Line 119: @@
 ====3. Consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of implementing the recommendation====
-(quality of content, limitations, interoperability, sustainability:
+Advantages
-expected future dissemination / technical availability / funding)
-====4. The Recommendation====
+Implementing IGSN across data infrastructures, research workflows, and organizational practices significantly improves the quality, traceability, and usability of sample-related metadata.
-IGSN  is used to identify samples in data infrastructures.
+From an interoperability perspective, IGSNs enable seamless linking between samples, datasets, publications, instruments, and other research outputs. This allows infrastructures to integrate more easily with external systems such as DataCite, ORCID, and disciplinary repositories, fostering a more connected and machine-actionable research ecosystem.
+Even when personnel or institutions change, IGSNs preserve the identity and context of physical samples. This also supports consistent discovery and attribution of samples used across multiple studies, which is increasingly important for collaborative and longitudinal research.
+Disadvantages and Limitations
+One of the main barriers is the initial technical and organizational overhead. Integrating IGSN registration and resolution into local systems may require custom development, workflow redesign, and coordination with external allocating agents. Establishing clear responsibilities—such as assigning a person or unit to manage IGSNs—also requires dedicated resources and long-term commitment.
+Another challenge is training and awareness. Researchers and technicians may not be familiar with IGSN or may view it as an extra administrative step. Sustained training efforts, user support, and institutional incentives are needed to ensure consistent and correct usage.
+There are also some external dependencies. Institutions must rely on the long-term availability and sustainability of IGSN allocating agencies and infrastructure. If funding or governance of the global IGSN framework becomes unstable, there may be future risks related to service continuity or the need for metadata migration.
+Not all research fields have mature practices around sample identification, meaning that IGSN may not yet be a natural fit for every domain. In such cases, complementary identifiers or interim solutions might still be needed. Additionally, keeping local metadata synchronized with authoritative IGSN records can introduce technical complexity, especially if metadata schemas evolve differently.
+====4. The Recommendation and possible consequences====
+It is recommended to use IGSN to identify samples in data infrastructures where appropriate.
 For organizations this means:
@@ Line 146: / Line 154: @@
 Also see [3] Baldewein et al. (2023). FAIR WISH D7 -Standard Operating Procedure for automatic IGSN registration. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10401380
 ====5. Naming of communities that have already implemented the recommendation====