Multidimensional Research Software Categorization
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Research software has been categorized in different contexts to serve different goals. We start with a look at what research software is before we discuss the purpose of research software categories. We propose a multidimensional categorization of research software. We present a template for characterizing such categories. As selected dimensions, we present our proposed role-based, readiness-based, developer-based, and dissemination-based categories. Since our work has been inspired by various previous efforts to categorize research software, we discuss them as related works. We characterize all of these categories via the previously introduced template to enable a systematic comparison. We report on the multidimensional categorization of selected research software examples.
Authors: Wilhelm Hasselbring, Stephan Druskat, Jan Bernoth, Philine Betker, Michael Felderer, Stephan Ferenz, Ben Hermann, Anna-Lena Lamprecht, Jan Linxweiler, Arnau Prat, Bernhard Rumpe, Katrin Schöning-Stierand, Shinhyung Yang
Institutions: Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR), University of Potsdam, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, University of Cologne, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, TU Dortmund University, Technische Universität Braunschweig, RWTH Aachen University, Universität Hamburg
Language: English
Subfield: Information Systems and Management
Field: Decision Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,995
Funder: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
OpenAlex ID: W6903421501