Annual face to face meeting of Task Area 2

The first day of the Task Area 2 annual meeting began with a focus on user requirements, an important step toward aligning ongoing software development with the needs of the diverse communities served by DAPHNE4NFDI. A workshop session defined for each of our previously defined user personas [six different dimensions of distance](https://doi.org/10.1162/99608f92.35d32cfc) between data creation and (re-)use. This provided a useful lens for examining how different user groups relate to one another, sparking a constructive dialogue on how such methods might inform future design decisions.

Throughout the day, several participants identified promising overlaps in their current work, opening the door to new collaborations across institutions. A poster session further supported these exchanges, offering insight into ongoing projects and helping attendees establish concrete points of contact for coordinated development. The day concluded with updates from participating facilities and a relaxed conference dinner that allowed discussions to continue in an informal setting.

The second day was dedicated to planning the next phase of Task Area 2 within DAPHNE 2.0. Participants reviewed the recent reviewer recommendations on the proposal and discussed how these could be translated into actionable steps at their home institutions. Longer-term topics including sample identifiers and database structures were also explored, helping to establish a shared direction for the coming year. The meeting concluded with a well‑received guided tour provided by ICSP.