Data classification
INN University is responsible for the research data that is collected in student projects and research projects. The project manager or supervisor is obliged to ensure that the management of data corresponds with the university’s guidelines by:
- Assessing and ensuring that data is placed in the correct confidentiality class.
- Ensuring that the collection, storage, management, sharing and filing of data occur in approved technical platforms.
- Staying updated on effective requirements and guidelines.
Data classes
Research data have different classifications. These are often described as green, yellow, red or black data. The classification determines which digital infrastructure you must use to meet the requirements of data security and data protection under the GDPR. The distinction between classes may be vague.
Green data
Open or commonly available data that do not contain personal data or require any form of access rights. Read more.
Yellow data
Data that are not open and that require a certain level of protection, e.g. common personal data, or information that may cause some harm to persons or institutions. Read more.
Red data
Data that require a high level of protection. This data may cause harm to persons, institutions or collaborating partners, e.g. certain categories of personal data or export control data. Read more.
Black data
Similar data as the red category, but where special considerations indicate that the data need additional protection. This is data with considerable potential to harm persons, institutions and the nation, and the management of data in this category should involve legal expertise and data management expertise. Read more.
Tools for data collection
It is important that the software and tools you use for data collection promote data security and confidentiality. Below you will find approved tools and guides for some of the most common research methods used at INN University. Also note the last option regarding software in research.
Questionnaire
All students and staff at INN University have access to “Nettskjema” – a net-based tool for data collection with questionnaires. Nettskjema is used for research data collection, educational purposes, registrations, and other. Nettskjema is the only permitted questionnaire tool at INN University for collecting personal data as it is integrated with Educloud and TSD, which are the university’s secure data platforms. Additionally, Nettskjema has a setting for anonymous data collcetion that allows you to easily avoid management of personal data where possible.
See the Nettskjema website for login, information, user guides as well as tips and tricks.
NB! When storing data from Nettskjema in Educloud or TSD, you must choose the right template for direct connection. See paragraph on Educloud and TSD in the Data storage section.
Interview
Sound recordings from interviews, individual or in groups, may be carried out on your smart phone or tablet by using the app Nettskjema Diktafon. When using this app, the recordings are continuously encrypted and sent to the Nettskjema server at UiO, without the files being stored locally and/or synced to private cloud computing services.
- Start by creating a reception form in Nettskjema.no and download the app from App Store or Google Play.
- See user guide for Nettskjema Diktafon.
- If data from Nettskjema is to be stored in Educloud Research or TSD, you must choose the right template for direct connection (see paragraph in the Data storage section).
- Nettskjema conducts an auto transcription of the sound recordings. See information here.
- In TSD, Whisper may be used for auto transcription. See information here.
- Remember to check if the technical equipment is functioning before meeting your informants! It is obligatory to do a test recording lasting at least 5 minutes.
- The maximum recording length is 90 minutes. For longer recordings, you must deliver the first recording and then start a new one.
- Informants who have consented to participation may also download the app and conduct their own sound recordings, if relevant for your project. In this case, the participant needs access to your specific Nettskjema ID number which the recording is stored in.
Phone interview
An interview may be carried out over the phone if you are prevented from meeting the informants in person.
It is only allowed to use Teams, Zoom or a normal phone call (it is not allowed to use e.g. Facetime, Whereby, Telegram, WhatsApp, or other).
The following guidelines must be met:
- Your Zoom or Teams account must be an INN/Feide user, not a private account.
- It is not allowed to conduct digital recordings of video or sound in the Zoom or Teams services.
- The recording of sound or video must be carried out in the Nettskjema Diktafon app and with your phone/tablet as the recording device (see the paragraph above). The device is placed next to the computer speaker for the best possible sound quality. It is recommended to test the sound quality.
- Note that a digital recording does not have the same sound quality as the physical interview, and this may increase the percentage of defective items in the auto transcription.
Photo and film
Photo
You may use the camera on your smart phone or tablet and send photos continuously to the Nettskjema server at UiO. However, the photo must be taken via Nettskjema Bilde, which is an encrypted application that prevents the photos from being stored locally and/or are synced to your private cloud computing services (remember: all data services must have the Feide login). Start by creating a reception form in Nettskjema.no and then download the app from App Store or Google Play.
See user guide for Nettskjema Bilde.
Remember:
- Test before you start!
- Taking photos of identifiable persons is the same as managing personal data, and this requires data security and consent from the individuals, including those who are potentially identifiable in the background (third persons).
- If you are storing data from Nettskjema Bilde in TSD, you must choose the right template for direct connection. See also paragraph in Data storage.
- Your informants who have consented to participation may also download the app and take photos themselves, if relevant for your project. In this case, the participant needs access to your specific Nettskjema ID number which the photos are stored in.
Film/video
You may use the camera on your smart phone or tablet to record videos. However, the videos must be recorded via Nettskjema Viso and only be used for projects that are registered in TSD or Educloud Research for secure storage and management.
Start by creating a reception form in Nettskjema.no and then download the app from App Store or Google Play.
See user guide for Nettskjema Viso.
Using video in research is challenging. Create a data management plan and set enough time aside for preparation with these considerations:
- Sending the project for evaluation by Sikt Data protection services.
- Strict rules for participation and consent, especially for data involving children or participants with reduced capacity to consent.
- Consent from potential third persons included in the video recording.
- It may be difficult or impossible to anonymise participants in a meaningful way.
- Physical and technical factors affecting the placement of cameras, lights and acoustics.
- A video recording is dependent on good sound quality. Smart phones may have limitations in this area, so consider the possibilities for an additional microphone, noise cancelling, attenuation, and other.
- Set aside enough time for planning and testing, and not least for creating a good information and consent form if you are filming persons.
Tip: UK Data Service has good information regarding anonymising qualitative data.
If you wish to use advanced techniques for video recordings (multi-camera, head camera, and other), contact IT Research Support well ahead of time to potentially involve external resources for your project. If this type of video research is included in a project application, budget funds must be set aside.
VR/VxR
Research that base data collection on VxR meet certain challenges regarding the principle on what data is relevant to collect to answer the research question.
The core of VxR technology is the premise that “the more data you have on the user, the better the virtualisation and user experience will be”.
This entails that by using VxR as a research tool, you often collect personal data that is not directly linked to answering the research question, and that in a best-case scenario may function as secondary data. Biometric data, such as eye movements, reaction times, personal preferences in the virtual world, etc., are examples of this.
The researcher using VxR should therefore thoroughly consider what type of data that is being collected, and what level of data protection that is needed for the data management to meet the requirements regarding security and confidentiality.
For a more thorough review of this subject, it is recommended to read or listen to this article from California Law Review.
Data storage
Which storage space you should use is decided by the colour of the data classes given your research data (see paragraph on Data classes). If you have a mix of green, yellow and red data, it is the red category which decides how the data should be managed. The categorisation of data may be difficult, and you must also consider the number of participants, volume of data and duration. This entails three different storage spaces. What these have in common is that they are well-suited for collaborating projects for both internal and external partners, domestically and internationally.
OneDrive Feide
If you are collecting common personal data (yellow data), anonymous data or data that does not involve persons at all (green data), the data may be stored in access-controlled folders in OneDrive. All staff at INN University have access to OneDrive. If you are experiencing trouble, you must contact IT Support. You are not to use a private OneDrive or other cloud computing services with private access, only OneDrive with Feide login!
Creating a OneDrive project folder with access restriction
Nettskjema files and other sets of data may be uploaded and stored in the OneDrive folder that you created for your project. Remember to delete the files that end up in the Downloads folder locally on your PC.
Educloud Research
Educloud Research is one of the research platforms offered by the University of Oslo that INN University has a user agreement with.
Educloud is a so-called “remote desktop”, which means that you will work in a new desktop interface after a two-step login (password + rolling code). Here you can create files in the usual manner, and you have access to relevant software for the analysis of numbers and texts. Regular internet access is available on the platform.
Educloud is well-suited for internal, domestic and international collaboration projects, and the master’s programmes at INN University use Educloud as the platform for their student projects.
Educloud is suitable if you are:
- Collecting and processing yellow data, or yellow-red data related to vulnerable persons or groups (e.g. elementary school children).
- Collecting and processing a limited amount of red/sensitive data. This means few participants who share limited information.
- Collecting and/or managing information-sensitive data that needs an additional protective layer.
- Conducting High Performance Computing (HPC) in FOX. See more information here.
How to create a project place in Educloud Research
An Educloud Research folder may be ordered for a specific project in a given time period (and not as a personal or mutual folder that you can access indefinitely). In collaboration projects, it is the project manager/supervisor who applies for and administrates the Educloud folder. Additional partners may apply for access (see the next paragraph).
To order a project place in Educloud@HINN: Follow this instruction.
For first-time setup of Educloud Research: Follow this instruction.
All registrations must be done with your Feide user and @inn.no e-mail address. Do not use a private e-mail, or an e-mail that belongs to a different workplace.
How to access an existing project folder in Educloud Research
- Ask the project manager (administrator) what folder number the research project has in Educloud (“ec-number”).
- Apply for access to the established main folder for your project by following this guide (be ready to use BankID).
- Choose Chrome as the web browser for logins and downloads. Firefox or Safari are alternatives.
- You must install the software VMWare Horizon to establish a connection between your computer and the Educloud server at UiO.
- Activate a two-factor authentication on your phone as explained here (scroll to step 3).
- The project leader (administrator) must approve your application before you gain access.
- Here you log in to work: Login
- You will now be in a new desktop with the INN University logo. It has the same functionality that you are used to, except from Outlook mail. Available software and web applications are accessible as speed dials, icons or in the start menu.
See user guide for Educloud Research
Note that by using Nettskjema for collecting research data, the form must be connected to the Educloud folder you create. See info and demo video here..
INN University pays for the basic package in Educloud. Most users have their needs covered by this, but note that additional features, such as using HPC or needing more storage, must be paid for locally on faculty/institute/research group level. Externally financed projects are recommended to include the yearly cost in the budget under the section for data management, and to apply for funds to cover data management.
Services for sensitive data (TSD)
TSD is one of the research platforms offered by the University of Oslo that INN University has a user agreement with. TSD is well-suited for internal, domestic and international collaboration projects. Read more about the service here..
The creation of and access to TSD may seem laborious at first, but once you use it, you may feel confident that you meet the legal requirements and guidelines for data management in your research project. After a two-step login (password + rolling code), you will enter a new desktop where you can create folders and have immediate access to relevant software programs for the analysis of numbers and texts as well as the Office programs. Due to the security level, regular internet access is not available in TSD.
TSD is suitable if you are:
- Collecting and processing red/sensitive data or black/confidential data.
- Conducting a health research project that is evaluated by REK (regional ethical committee).
- Collecting and/or processing data that need an extra strong protective layer.
- Conducting High Performance Computing in Colossus.
How to create a project place in TSD
A TSD folder may be ordered for a specific project in a given time period (and not as a personal or mutual folder that you can access indefinitely). In collaboration projects, it is the project manager who applies for and administrates the TSD folder, and the additional partners may apply for access (see the next paragraph).
Permissions and approvals from Sikt Data protection services and REK must be in place before applying for a project place in TSD as details surrounding this are required.
- To order a project place in TSD@HINN: Send an e-mail to it-forskningsstotte@inn.no
- For first-time setup: Follow this instruction.
- For login: Follow this instruction.
All registrations must be done with your Feide user and @inn.no e-mail address. Do not use a private e-mail, or an e-mail that belongs to a different workplace.
How to access an existing project folder in TSD
- Ask the project manager (administrator) what folder number the research project has in TSD (“P-number”).
- Apply for access to the established main folder for your project by following this guide (be ready to use BankID).
- Choose Chrome as the web browser for logins and downloads. Firefox or Safari are alternatives.
- You must download the software VMWare Horizon to establish a connection between your computer and the Educloud server at UiO.
- Activate a two-factor authentication on your phone..
- The project leader (administrator) must approve your application before you gain access.
- Here you log in to work: Login
- You will now be in a new desktop with mostly the same functionality that you are used to, except from internet access. Available software and web applications are accessible as speed dials, icons or in the start menu, or they may be order specifically (NB! May offset an extra payment).
Note that by using Nettskjema for collecting research data, this must be connected to the TSD folder you create. See detailed information here.
INN University pays for the basic package in TSD, but additional features, such as extra storage and HPC, must be paid for locally on faculty/institute/research group level. Externally financed projects are recommended to include the yearly cost in the budget under the section for data management, and to apply for funds to cover data management.
Software
The acquisition of or access to software, application or other IT systems in research at INN University, must follow effective routines regarding financing, rights, information security/data protection and integration against existing IT infrastructure. Note that the GDPR limits what type of software you may use, depending on data classes.
See available software and order here
If you need a software that is not included in the list above:
- First see the list of software that are not approved for use. Du finner oversikten See the bottom of this page.
- Clarify with yourself and your coworkers what needs that are met by the software, and why potentially existing services do not work?
- Clarify who will pay for the software/application and for potential training?
- Who are the users? (A group of students, researchers at a specific institute, a project, or other staff at INN University?)
- Is personal data added in the program beyond the registered users? If so, the creation of a data processor agreement with the supplier may be required.
- Inn University promotes open scientific practice – is there an open source-software that covers the need?
- Fill in order form (Feide login).
- Wait for the response and expect follow-up questions. If you have any questions before ordering, these may be directed to programvare@inn.no
NB! If you have a project folder in Educloud Research or TSD, there will be available software on the platform.Read more here.
Contact us
- endre.aas@inn.no
- Phone
- +47 62 43 04 20