Reproducible research practices: A tool for effective and efficient leadership in collaborative statistics

Area of Science:

• Statistics
• Research Methodology
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Increasing prevalence of data and code sharing policies.
• Growing adoption of version control systems in statistical research.
• Need for advanced reproducible research practices to match research velocity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a framework combining leadership practices with reproducible research in collaborative statistics.
• To enhance quality and accuracy in statistical research through improved team dynamics.
• To foster stewardship and autonomy among research team members.

Main Methods:

• Establishing a framework for reproducible statistical research expectations.
• Introducing Stephen M.R. Covey's theory of trusting and inspiring leadership.
• Applying stewardship agreements to promote reproducible coding as a team norm.

Main Results:

• Demonstration of a code example illustrating the proposed method.
• Highlighting the creation of a collaborative, non-evaluative team culture.
• Empowering team members to hold themselves accountable for reproducible practices.

Conclusions:

• The integration of leadership theory and reproducible research practices offers a novel approach for statistical teams.
• Stewardship agreements can effectively establish reproducible coding as a standard team practice.
• Encouraging statisticians to develop intentional leadership approaches can improve research quality and collaboration.