A LEGO® metadata challenge workshop 

On December 6th, 2024, the UG Digital Competence Center (UG DCC) and the UMCG DCC organized a workshop titled "A LEGO® Metadata Challenge" during the Netherlands Reproducibility Network Symposium. This NLRN event brought together researchers, data managers, and enthusiasts dedicated to improving the reproducibility of scientific research from all over the country.

In this workshop, participants experienced reproducibility in action through an experiment using LEGO®. In the first part of the session, each group created a structure using LEGO® bricks and prepared accompanying documentation and instructions on how to create it. Afterwards, another group attempted to recreate the structure based on the provided documentation.  

Feedback from the participants was overwhelmingly positive. Many appreciated the innovative approach, noting that the hands-on activity helped solidify their understanding of the importance of proper documentation and metadata’s practical application. The workshops also fostered a sense of community and collaboration, as participants shared their experiences and insights. 

Spot the difference

Can you spot the difference (or lack thereof) between some of the original creations from the participants and the reconstructed versions from another team?

Reproducible materials

In line with the reproducibility theme, this workshop used materials from the University of Glasgow¹ and participants were encouraged to bring this workshop to their own networks. 

We are grateful to the Netherlands Reproducibility Network for providing us with the opportunity to share our knowledge and engage with such a passionate group of individuals. We look forward to continuing our efforts to promote research reproducibility and hope to bring more creative and interactive workshops to future events! 

1 Donaldson, M.and Mahon, M.(2019) LEGO® Metadata for Reproducibility game pack. Documentation. University of Glasgow. (doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.196477).