Recommendations for the development of data management plans have been published
The Committee for Open Science’s Research Data College has published its recommendations for the development of data management plans (DMPs).
The DMP is an ever-evolving document that describes how research data will be obtained (generated or collected), processed, organised, stored, secured, preserved, shared and archived. This work is carried out by a platform or laboratory within a specific framework. It occurs during and after a project and also over a period of time.
The DMP is as a tool for implementing responsible and (as far as possible) open data management, in accordance with the FAIR principles. However, DMPs are still frequently seen as an administrative burden rather than as a tool that supports scientific practice.
This document explains the value of DMPs as an operational, sustainable and useful tool for research teams that in fact helps to reduce the administrative burden, improve data quality and enhance interoperability within the research ecosystem. The move towards interoperable and machine-actionable DMPs particularly paves the way for new possibilities. This should mean the DMP being increasingly seen as a genuine tool for decision-making, strategic foresight and the optimisation of research practices.
The document is in three main sections:
- Why adopt a data management plan?
This section outlines the tangible benefits for research teams that draw up DMPs.
2. Recommendations for developing data management plans.
The recommendations are structured according to three action levels – the project-level DMP, the organisational or platform-level DMP, and data management at the institutional level.
3. Appendices.
These present scenarios that illustrate the use of DMPs in various disciplinary contexts.
Find out more (in French):
Data Management Plans: Recommendations for Responsible and Open Data Management
