Data management plans

A data management plan (or DMP) is a document which outlines how data will be managed throughout the whole project life cycle. Generally a plan covers initial decisions, how data will be handled during the active phase of research, and longer-term questions of preservation and sharing. The plan may be updated and revised as a project develops.

It's common for funding bodies to require a DMP; however, even when not explicitly required by a funder, a DMP is well worth creating. The planning process is a chance to think through what's needed to allow the project to run as smoothly as possible. It can also help anticipate possible problems before they occur – meaning that solutions can be found in good time.

Many aspects of data management are straightforward if they’re planned for from the beginning, but much harder to do retrospectively. Making a plan will therefore often save time and reduce stress later in the project.

Planning ahead can bring particular benefits when it comes to preparing data for sharing. For example, documenting what’s happened to data can be done quickly and easily if good recording processes are built into the research methodology; trying to unpick what’s been done later on is likely to be much more arduous.

Having a solid plan also means you're better prepared for unforeseen developments. Having thought through all the relevant issues means you're less likely to be taken by surprise - and you'll be better placed to respond if the unexpected does crop up.

All University of Oxford researchers, whether funded or not, are encouraged to create a data management plan as part of good scholarly practice.

Many major funding bodies now require a data management plan as part of the grant application process, or as an early deliverable once the project begins. Your funder should make the requirements clear when you apply to them. 

Absolutely! A DMP should be treated as a dynamic, evolving document, to be updated as necessary throughout the project. It is therefore good practice for the initial plan to include a schedule for future review, revision and perhaps even use a file name with version/date details.

Outline the content, quantity, and format of the data. This will help inform the rest of the plan: for example, the quantity of material will have an impact on the type of storage that is appropriate.

You may also need to discuss how documentation, metadata, and software will be created and maintained.

Further information on some of the above topics can be found on the Data handling and acquisition page.

Provide an overview of how research data will be collected, processed, stored, and otherwise dealt with during the research project.

If a team of researchers is involved, responsibilities can be assigned as appropriate. The PI will typically retain overall responsibility for data management, but may delegate specific tasks (e.g. managing data collection or documentation). Some projects may have a designated data manager, field workers, or similar site specific personnel.

Further information can be found on the Data handling and acquisition page.

Outline how you will use institutional services and infrastructure to ensure data is secure and backed up. This is particularly important where confidential or sensitive materials are being used.

Further information can be found on the Keeping working data safe page.

You'll need to show that you're aware of any ethical issues raised by the collection and handling of data, and that you have a plan in place to deal with these. For example, this might include the need for informed consent from research participants, secure storage for confidential material, or anonymisation or redaction of data which will be made available for reuse.

Further information can be found on the Ethical and legal issues page.

If you're using third party data, give details of any permissions that are required (and the process for securing these). For collaborative projects, you may need to clarify ownership of data and other outputs resulting from the research project.

If your research project involves personal data, you'll need to set out your plans for ensuring compliance with the relevant data protection legislation (including GDPR).

Other legal issues may also need to be covered, depending on the nature of the project - for example, if the project may lead to a commercial spin-out, or if a collaboration with the commercial sector is required.

Further information can be found on the Ethical and legal issues page.

Indicate what you intend to do with data, software and metadata after the research project concludes. If data will be deposited in an archive or repository, say which one; if not, alternative preservation arrangements should be described. Some funders specify a minimum preservation period, and/or a preferred destination for data, so it's worth ensuring you're aware of any specific requirements. 

If you are planning to destroy any of your data once the project is complete, the reasons for this should be made clear. If secure deletion is required, the process for this should also be covered.

Further information can be found on the Post-project data preservation page.

Outline your plans for sharing data for reuse by other researchers (or more widely). If some or all data is unsuitable for sharing, or can only be shared with restrictions, explain why this is. Any processing or preparation of data needed (e.g. anonymisation of personal data) should also be described.

As with preservation, some funders may have specific requirements regarding making data available for reuse, so it's worth checking you know what these are.

Further information can be found on the Sharing data page.

DMPonline is a free web-based tool for building data management plans. It provides a selection of templates (including those mandated by major UK funders) along with guidance and links to useful resources. Plans can be shared with collaborators, and exported in a range of formats.

Oxford supports a customised version of DMPonline. If you indicate that your institution is the University of Oxford when registering or when creating a new plan, you will be able to view guidance which includes pointers to Oxford services and resources. If you are not (currently) a member of the University, but are applying to Oxford, or are collaborating with Oxford researchers, you can still opt to see the Oxford-specific guidance after creating a plan. (If you have previously used the generic version of DMPonline, you can still use the same login credentials for the Oxford version, and you will retain access to your data management plans.)

The DMPonline tool is provided by the Digital Curation Centre, a national body whose website provides a wealth of additional information, including details of funders’ requirements, example DMPs, a useful DMP checklist, and a how-to guide on creating one.

The Research Data Oxford team can provide assistance with drafting DMPs: email [email protected] if you would like to set up a meeting, or to request feedback on a draft.

There are also regular training courses, provided via the Digital Capabilities and iSkills programmes.

Additionally, a range of local and central support is available for specific aspects of a plan: research facilitators will be able to help prepare project costings with X5, CUREC will help you through the ethics approval process, and local and central IT staff can advise on technical infrastructure and resources.

A straightforward data management plan template (suitable for postgraduate research projects) can be downloaded from OxIntranet.

If you are writing a data management plan using the MRC template, see the FAQs page for guidance on policy links to include in section 7.