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Users' guide

Please note that the FP7-4-SD website has been archived on 6 September 2018. All the interactive functions of the website (including the FP7-4-SD database, registration and login) are therefore no longer available. To get in touch with the project team please see here.

This section provides guidance on:

How to use the interactive parts of FP7-4-SD.eu?

FP7-4-SD.eu offers an interactive database that allows producing customised analyses and specific reports for special interest groups and their specific needs. It offers different “views”:

  • The FP7 View produces bar charts and tables corresponding to the structure of FP7. You can either zoom into different Themes, Areas and Activities or set filters according to your interests.
  • The Challenge View shows similar bar charts and offers the same filter options as the FP7 View, but here the monitoring data is structured according to the Key Challenges and Operational Objectives of the EU SDS.
  • The Geographical View produces maps and tables for analysing the data of the monitoring system broken down to national (country) and regional (NUTS 2) level. You can zoom into different countries and regions and set thematic filters according to your interests.
  • The Longitudinal View allows for analysing the FP7 contribution to the EU SDS over time by producing bar charts and tables corresponding to the annual FP7 Work Programmes that have been published since 2007.

All “views” analyse the whole database (i.e. the topics of the specific programme ‘Cooperation’ and related project data from the Work Programmes 2007 - 2013). Each “view” allows you to display three different levels:

  1. First level: an analysis of selected data (including a chart or map and a table as well as additional options to apply specific expert filters)
  2. Second level: a list of topics and projects (in the FP7 and Challenge Views) or a list of project participants and their projects (in the Geographical View) that fulfil the criteria selected in the first level
  3. Third level: a display of a single topic including screening results and detailed information of all projects funded through the respective topic (if available)

First level – analysis of the selected data

This level allows you to interactively analyse the data of the monitoring system according to the view you selected before. It includes:

  • a chart (bar chart, geographical map or time line)
  • a table (showing the basic data of the chart)
  • additional options to apply specific expert filters

On this level you can:

  1. Start another view by using the navigation bar on the left
  2. Zoom into a certain Theme, Activity or Area (in FP7 View) or Work Programme (in Longitudinal View), zoom into a certain EU SDS Key Challenge or Operational Objective (in Challenge View) or zoom into a specific country (in Geographical View) by clicking on the ‘Zoom’ buttons
  3. Display the list of topics or project participants and respective projects – this will bring you to the second level of the respective view (see below) by clicking the ‘list’ button, or by clicking on the number of topics in the table
  4. Send the chart/map and table as a PDF-file to your e-mail address by using the “Send this result to ...” button
  5. Apply one or several expert filters to focus your analysis on your specific areas of interest by expanding the filter boxes, selecting filters and pushing the button ‘Apply expert filter and redraw chart/map’. In this case your filter selections will be displayed additionally (between the chart/map and the table)

Second level – List of topics/project participants and projects

This level displays a list of all topics (in the FP7 and Challenge Views) or project participants (in Geographical View) that fulfill the criteria you selected in the first level (either by zooming in or by applying expert filters). In the FP7 and Challenge Views, it is structured hierarchically into Themes, Activities, Areas, Topics and (if available) projects. in the Geographical View, it is structured hierarchically into project participants and projects. Each of these levels can be expanded or collapsed by using the “-“ and “+” buttons. If the results include more than 50 topics or project participants, the list is split into several pages and you can switch to the next or previous page by using the buttons on the top or the bottom of each page. On this level you can:

  1. Start another view by using the navigation bar on the left
  2. Go back to the first level of the view by clicking on the ‘Back to chart/map and filter’ button
  3. Expand or collapse the list by clicking on the “–“ and “+” buttons
  4. See detailed information on one topic and respective project(s) – this will bring you to the third level of the view (see below) by clicking on the topic or project title

Third level – Display of a single topic

This level shows detailed information on a single topic, including

  • Topic information (e.g. title, Work Programme, funding scheme, ...)
  • The Screening results (i.e. the expected impacts of this Topic on the EU SDS)
  • All projects funded under this Topic (if available), including project titles, abstracts, duration, funding information and participants)

On this level you can:

  1. Start another view by using the navigation bar on the left
  2. Go back to the first level of the respective view by clicking on the ‘Back to chart/map and filter’ button
  3. Go back to the second level of the respective view by clicking on the ‘Back to topic/participant list’ button
  4. Print out information on the topic (including detailed screening results, but without project information) or project(s) (without the detailed screening results) by clicking on the “Print topic information” and “Print projects” buttons, respectively
  5. Display the full text of the topic in an additional window by clicking on the text “Click here to see topic details in the Work Programme call document”
  6. Submit your feedback on the screening results – this will bring you to the forth level of the respective view (see “How to send feedback to the project team?” below) by clicking the ‘Submit your feedback’ button

Video tutorial – tips & tricks for using the interactive parts of FP7-4-SD.eu

The following video tutorial explains how to use the FP7-4-SD.eu interactive database more effectively, including how to save personal filter settings and how to send the results of the analyses as PDF to your email-address.
Video Tips & Tricks

How to interpret the results from the monitoring system?

The screening focuses on direct and causal expected impacts of the research funded by the Cooperation Specific Programme, including dissemination of its results and consequent impacts. Moreover, it focuses explicitly on the individual topics and should therefore not be seen as an assessment of a technology as such. Second round effects or rebound effects are explicitly excluded (e.g. in the case of energy, potential rebound effects leading to increases in energy consumption attributable to an increased use of more energy efficient devices is not considered).

The screening and data presented in FP7-4-SD.eu is solely based on topic descriptions published in the Work Programmes, and does not take into account individual project descriptions or proposals. Therefore, the monitoring system is topic-based, i.e. based on the call text, which is “ex-ante information” and does not foresee the inclusion of ex-post evaluation of projects, their outcomes or impacts (although it could be used for preparing these specific exercises).

FP7-4-SD.eu offers orientation and overview, and by doing so can support – but not replace – in-depth thematic evaluations. When analysing the monitoring data please keep in mind that the stated impacts have to be seen as a “proxy” and, as a central outcome, identify the bulk of projects expected to contribute to a given objective. This identification can serve as a basis for further, more detailed analysis. By no means should it be seen as objective evidence or scientific prediction. Any feedback on the results presented on FP7-4-SD.eu is appreciated.

Please note that the available “views” (FP7 View, Challenge View, Geographical View and Longitudinal View) process identical data but from different points of view, i.e. they offer different ways of summarising and displaying data. Please bear in mind that while in the ‘FP7 View’ each topic counts only once (and therefore their impacts can be added up), the other views may include double counts (e.g. in case a particular topic has expected impacts on several EU SDS objectives). As a consequence, adding up the sub-totals may result in potentially overestimated figures.

Please also note that FP7-4-SD.eu allows producing customised analyses by applying certain filter options, and downloading the resulting graphs, maps and tables. However, applying the available filter options requires specific knowledge in order to produce meaningful analyses. In order to ensure that only verified data is quoted and presented to the general public, we recommend either using the available policy briefs, or getting in touch with the project team.

How to send feedback to the project team?

This level allows registered users of FP7-4-SD.eu to submit their feedback on the screening results of individual topics. In the feedback form, you can express your opinion on the expected impacts of the displayed topic on all the Operational Objectives of the EU SDS. Please keep in mind that FP7-4-SD.eu

  • uses the EU SDS as a referential framework and, therefore, the Key Challenges and Operational Objectives of the EU SDS are in the focus of analysis (and not e.g. environment or society in general terms)
  • follows a constricted approach and, therefore, expected impacts should be directly caused by the projects funded under this topic (and not by second round effects, rebound effects or the technology as such)
  • aims to promote a serious debate on the impacts of FP7 on the EU SDS. To make sure that users do not use the feedback function to enter fake or joke data into the monitoring system, we ask them to explain on which sources or evidence their expectation are based on. Please use this option intensively to allow us to consider your arguments and to process your feedback.

You can submit feedback on the expected impacts of a topic on the EU SDS only once (please note that you can’t change your feedback once you have submitted it to us). On this level you can:

  1. Start another view by using the navigation bar on the left
  2. Go back to the first level of the respective view by clicking on the ‘Back to chart/map and filter’ button
  3. Go back to the second level of the respective view by clicking on the ‘Back to topic/participant list’ button
  4. Go back to the third level of the respective view by clicking on the ‘Cancel and go back to Topic’ button
  5. Display the full text of the Topic in an additional window by clicking on the text “Click here to see topic details in the Work Programme call document”
  6. Submit your feedback by clicking the ‘Submit feedback’ button

Specific potentialities for targeted groups

  • For the scientific community: the monitoring system offers basic data for the scientific debate on the expected impacts of FP7 as well as a platform for discussion. No matter whether you are a researcher carrying out FP7 projects or not, you might be interested in using the interactive database to analyse the data on your own and/or to send us your feedback on specific monitoring results.
  • For the media: you will be interested in the regularly updated policy briefs. If you want to obtain more specific analyses, you may use the interactive database of FP7-4-SD.eu interactively or get in touch with us.
  • For NGOs, civil society organisations and the general public: you might be interested in finding out about the progress of FP7 in achieving the objectives of the EU SDS. You will find the most recent analyses in the news & results section.
  • For scientific officers and decision-makers at EU and national levels: FP7-4-SD.eu offers basic data for thematic evaluations and significant input into the future planning of WPs and the forthcoming 8th Framework Programme. You may benefit from having a look at the news &results section, in particular at the policy briefs, using the interactive database of FP7-4-SD.eu interactively or getting in touch with us.

FP7-4-SD.eu has been produced by the Vienna University of Economics and Business in cooperation with the Technical University Delft, Infras, Ecologic, ISI Fraunhofer and UPK Basel and is updated regularly.

Version: 3.4.4.1052 | Last update: May 3, 2016, 2:00 pm | Top