To be FAIR or RIGHT? Methodological [R]esearch [I]ntegrity [G]iven [H]uman-facing [T]echnologies using the example of Learning Technologies

TL;DR

This paper introduces the RIGHT framework to assess the validity of research software, complementing existing reliability and FAIR assessments, with practical case studies in learning technologies.

Contribution

It presents the RIGHT framework, filling a gap in research software quality assessment by focusing on validity, using theory transfer and process modeling methods.

Findings

The RIGHT framework effectively assesses validity in research software.

Case studies demonstrate practical relevance in learning technologies.

Framework integrates models from multiple scientific disciplines.

Abstract

Quality assessment of Research Software Engineering (RSE) plays an important role in all scientific fields. From the canonical three criteria (reliability, validity, and objectivity) previous research has focussed on reliability and the FAIR principles. The RIGHT framework is introduced to fill the gap of existing frameworks for the validity aspect. The framework is constructed using the methods of theory transfer and process modelling. It is based on existing models of simulation research, design-based research, software engineering and empirical social sciences. The paper concludes with two case studies drawn from the field of learning technologies to illustrate the practical relevance of the framework for human-facing RSE.