Domain-specific metadata schemas are essential to improve the findability and reusability of research software and to follow the FAIR4RS principles. However, many domains, including energy research, lack established metadata schemas. To address this gap, we developed a metadata schema for energy research software based on a requirement analysis and evaluated it through user testing. Our results show that the schema balances the need for formalization and interoperability, while also meeting the specific needs of energy researchers. Meanwhile, the testing showed that a good presentation of the required information is key to enable researchers to create the required metadata. This paper provides insights into the challenges and opportunities of designing a metadata schema for energy research software.

翻译：领域特定的元数据模式对于提升研究软件的可发现性与可复用性、遵循FAIR4RS原则至关重要。然而，包括能源研究在内的众多领域仍缺乏成熟的元数据模式。为填补这一空白，我们基于需求分析开发了一套面向能源研究软件的元数据模式，并通过用户测试对其进行了评估。结果表明，该模式在满足形式化与互操作性要求的同时，亦契合能源研究者的特定需求。测试同时表明，良好的信息呈现方式是研究者能够创建所需元数据的关键。本文深入探讨了设计能源研究软件元数据模式所面临的挑战与机遇。