A Data Management Plan (DMP) is a formal document outlining how research data will be handled both during and after a research project. DMPs typically include information on data collection, organization, documentation, storage, preservation, and sharing. They serve as roadmaps for researchers to manage their data effectively throughout the research lifecycle, from initial data collection to long-term preservation and sharing with other researchers.
From the Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy, section 3.2:
DMPs are living documents that can be modified to accommodate changes throughout the course of a research project. The content and length of DMPs depend on the research project, but all DMPs should describe:
How data will be collected, documented, formatted, protected and preserved;
how existing datasets will be used and what new data will be created over the course of the research project;
whether and how data will be shared; and
where data will be deposited.
DMPs also indicate who is responsible for managing the project’s data, describe the succession plans in place should that person leave the research team, and identify the data-related roles and responsibilities of other team members where appropriate.
Finally, DMPs outline ethical, legal and commercial constraints the data are subject to, and methodological considerations that support or preclude data sharing.
DMPs play a critical role in ensuring the integrity, accessibility, and usability of research data. They promote good research practices, facilitate compliance with funding agency requirements, and enhance transparency and reproducibility in research. By proactively addressing data management considerations, researchers can mitigate risks such as data loss, ensure data security and privacy, and maximize the impact of their research outputs. By developing your DMP at the beginning of your research, you are establishing good research practices that will inform the entirety of your research process, including ethics board approval, publishing or depositing your research data, and preservation.
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Library and Academic Services recommends DMP Assistant, a free resource made available by the Digital Research Alliance of Canada. You can use this resource to develop a DMP by completing a form, answering a series of questions related to your research data. The resource provides tutorial videos and webinars on data management and the resource itself.
Another benefit of the resource are examples of real, completed DMPs available to users, and templates based on academic/research discipline.
The Digital Research Alliance of Canada also has a Brief Guide on how to Create an Effective Data Management Plan.
