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Using Data Management Plans

Data Management Plans(DMPs) are a formal document that outlines how your research data will be managed during and after the end of a research project. DMPs can help you with planning how you will handle the data in your project, how it will be stored, and how it the data will be shared. Used correctly, a DMP is a valuable living document that can be changed and adapted as the project evolves. DMPs should be shared documents within a research team documenting both details of the research plan and best practices within the team. Data Management Plans can be produced at different levels, for example, individual researchers, a research team, a cross disciplinary project, and even an institution may have a data management plan to document the strategy for collecting, storing and sharing their data.

Many funders mandate the creation of Data Management Plans as a component of grant proposals, but DMPs should not be considered a box-ticking exercise where they are completed to meet the requirements and then forgotten about. If proper consideration is given to the content then the DMPs should be helpful in your research, and following the guidance within can reduce the amount of work that is needed when it comes time to publish and share your work. The Data Management Plan should be considered a living document that can and should be updated to evolve along with your project.

Structure of a Data Management Plan​

Data Management Plans differ by funder, institution and discipline, but there are a number of common sections included in them, and questions that need to be answered:

  • About the research:
    • Who is involved?
    • Project title
  • What data/research materials will be collected or created?
  • How will the data/research materials be documented and described?
  • How will the data/research materials be stored and backed-up?
  • What are your plans for the long-term preservation of your data/research materials?
  • What are your plans to share the data/research materials during or at the end of the project?

If the research is subject to any particular policies or approvals these will need to be documented, for example, if the research uses human or animal subjects details of the ethics approval should be included, or whether there are any potential copyright issues.

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