Data management plans
Design the data lifecycle before collection
A data management plan specifies how research data and associated code or documentation will be organised, secured, described, retained and shared. It allocates responsibilities and resources across the lifecycle. FAIR principles concern findability, accessibility, interoperability and reusability, including machine use; accessible data can still require authorisation, and FAIR does not mean unrestricted public release.
Use at proposal stage for any study producing or reusing data, then update as formats, sensitivity, collaborators or dissemination plans change. The plan should reflect feasible responsibilities and costs.
Strengths
- Reduces loss, ambiguity and undocumented processing
- Supports reproducibility and appropriate reuse after the project
Limitations
- A generic template can omit operational detail
- Long-term preservation needs funded infrastructure and ownership
Know the boundary
Public sharing must respect consent, legal obligations and licences; a DMP is not a guarantee of reproducibility.