Research Data Management Strategy: Planning

A DMP is a formal document that details the strategies and tools you will implement to effectively manage your data during the active phase of your research, and the mechanisms you will use for preserving and appropriately sharing your data at the end of the project. A DMP is a “living” document that can be modified throughout your project to reflect any changes that have occurred.

The DMP Assistant is a national, online, bilingual data management planning tool developed by the Digital Research Alliance of Canada in collaboration with host institution University of Alberta to assist researchers in preparing data management plans (DMPs). This tool is freely available to all researchers, and develops a DMP through a series of key data management questions, supported by best-practice guidance and examples.

Create an account and get started. You will be asked to consider the following:

• Data collection: What type of data will you be collecting? What file format(s) will you use, and how will you name the files and assign versions?
• Documentation and metadata: What methods will you use to document and describe your data (read-me files, data dictionaries, etc.)?
• Storage and backup: Who in your research team has what type of access to different data? How often and where will the data be backed up and stored?
• Preservation: Where will your data be kept (discipline-specific or general repositories), and in what file format?
• Data sharing and reuse: Do you have a data sharing statement indicating where your data can be found, and under what conditions it can be reused?
• Responsibilities and resources: Who will be responsible for the data once the research project is complete?
• Ethical and legal compliance: How will you manage sensitive data and handle legal issues?