#Working Towards Sustainable Software for Science: Practice and Experiences (WSSSPE) Mission and Vision

##Mission

WSSSPE is an international community-driven organization that promotes sustainable research software by addressing challenges related to the full lifecycle of research software through shared learning and community action.

##Vision

We envision a world where research software is accessible, robust, sustained, and recognized as a scholarly research product critical to the advancement of knowledge, learning, and discovery.

##Focus Areas

WSSSPE promotes sustainable research software by positively impacting:

• Principles and Best Practices. Promoting best practices in sustainable software
• Careers. Developing and supporting career paths in research software development and engineering
• Learning. Engaging in activities to promote peer learning and interaction
• Credit. Ensuring recognition of research software as an intellectual contribution equal to other research products

##Definitions

Sustainable software has the capacity to endure such that it will continue to be available in the future, on new platforms, meeting new needs.

The research software lifecycle includes:

• acquiring and assembling resources (including funding and people) into teams and communities
• developing software
• using software
• recognizing contributions to and of software
• maintaining software