Turtle and Hare: A Matching Platform to Bridge Researchers and Foster Open Science with Transparent Software Use
The psychology research climate reveals two groups with complementary strengths. Junior researchers often excel in open-source software but need research experience and broader networks. Senior researchers possess these but may struggle with technological advancements like open-source tools. To bridge this gap, I collaborated with the eScience Center Amsterdam to create a need-based online matching platform. This platform connects advanced software users with beginners for 1:1 teaching sessions, leveraging eScience Center resources. It enables software novices to start quickly without lengthy courses while providing juniors with teaching experience and networking opportunities with senior researchers who could foster collaborations. This initiative fosters team science, promotes open-source software in work and organizational psychology, and addresses the lack of transparency in research methods observed in many papers. Enhancing transparency can improve research quality, replicability, and trust in our field, making research more impactful for academia and industry.