More and more research funders require data management plans to be included in applications for research grants or funding. A data management plan (DMP) is a formal document that outlines what you will do with your data during and after a research project.
Although the requirements may vary from funder to funder, DMP’s generally consist of a description of the data to be collected or created; the methodologies or standards of data collection and management to be used; applicable security, confidentiality, ethics and intellectual property considerations ; and plans and strategies for data access and sharing as well as long-term preservation.
Several tools, such as the DMPTool from the University of California Curation Center and DMPonline from the Digital Curation Centre, have been developed and published online to help researchers create DMPs.
These web-based tools provide access to several DMP templates; guidance from specific funders who require DMPs and the ability to share or export DMPs in various formats. People from any institution can register freely to use these tools.
[SOURCES: https://github.com/CDLUC3/dmptool/wiki/FAQ#q-what-is-a-data-management-plan-dmp; (https://www.ukdataservice.ac.uk/manage-data/plan/dmp-esrc; and http://www.slideshare.net/sjDCC/supportingdmps]
[Article by Rabelani Mutondwa]
