Project on transcription tools for researchers has been completed

The project "Proof of Concept – Transcription tool", which was initiated to investigate the possibility of introducing a secure transcription tool for researchers at Mid Sweden University, has now ended.

The aim of the project was to improve the digital work environment for researchers by evaluating a tool that could handle sensitive personal data in accordance with high security requirements. During the project period June–December 2024, a test phase was carried out where a tool called Ragnar was evaluated by an interdisciplinary user group consisting of researchers, doctoral students and technical staff.

The evaluation showed that the tool had several strengths, such as easy installation for PC and a user-friendly interface. However, critical weaknesses were identified:

• Not a working solution for Mac users.
• Lack of accuracy in transcriptions, especially with dialects.
• Lack of speaker recognition.
• Serious security risks associated with on-premises web server usage

Because of these shortcomings, the decision was made not to proceed with the introduction of Ragnar. The project was carried out within regular resources and without additional costs and has provided valuable knowledge for future solutions.

As a continuation, it is proposed that INFRA initiates a new project to investigate the possibility of establishing a remote solution with physical computers, similar to the one currently used in the Department of Psychology and Social Work. This is a temporary solution while waiting for ITCF's¹ work on a national transcription service for sensitive data to be completed.

The final report can be found in the diary - DNR MIUN 2024/1775

¹ IT Managers' Forum, a collaborative forum for IT managers at Swedish higher education institutions