The second requirement of the Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy is a data management plan. By Spring 2022 selected calls for proposals will have a data management plan requirement and DMPs will be considered in the adjudication process.
A data management plan (or DMP) is a formal plan that describes how research data are managed throughout the lifecycle of a research project. Planning saves time in the long run by integrating processes within and after the life of a project. It minimizes the need to reorganize, reformat, or attempt to remember details about data when disseminating and sharing with others. Many funding agencies and journals have data management policies and guidelines.
Adapted from: The Portage Network. (n.d.). How to manage your data: Frequently asked questions under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.
Data management plans are considered a foundation of good RDM practice and are increasingly required by public-sector funders and journal publishers.
The DMP Assistant is a national, online, bilingual data management planning tool developed by the Portage Network in collaboration with host institution University of Alberta to assist researchers in preparing data management plans (DMPs). It is freely accessible to all researchers and develops a DMP through a series of key data management questions, supported by best-practice guidance and examples.
It includes the ability to share development and review of DMPs between people in organizations.
The DMP Assistant has many resources to get you started.
The Alliance. (2021, December 1). DMP Assistant video tutorial series [Video]. YouTube. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2jE_DQZemnWs5Qb3mBrbYXAaylF5mTUv
Videos in the Series: