What is a data management plan?
A data management plan (DMP), sometimes also referred to as Technical Plan or Data Access Plan, is a document that describes how research data will be collected, organised, managed, stored, secured, backed-up, preserved, and where applicable, shared. It is an important tool that facilitates and supports the creation of FAIR data.
The DMP is intended to be a living document which is updated as the project progresses.
Warning: we have been made aware that UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) may be changing the format required for data management plans in new applications. DMPOnline are liaising with UKRI to ensure templates are updated, but in the meantime, please check the requirements on your application.
What exactly is “research data”?
Following the definition provided in the University's Research Data Management Policy, “Research data are the evidence that underpins the answer to the research question, and can be used to validate findings regardless of its form.” Thus, data covers quantitative and qualitative statements, raw data from measurements and derived data – either cleaned or extracted from your primary dataset or derived from an existing source.
Do I need to write a data management plan?
If your research uses or creates data, yes. The University of Birmingham’s Research Data Management Policy states that
“3.4 All funded research must be supported by a DMP or protocol that explicitly addresses data capture, management, integrity, confidentiality, retention, ownership, sharing and publication. This may be either a DMP submitted to the research funder as part of a research application or a document developed via the University’s DMP system after the project receives funding. Unfunded research which is likely to generate Research Data should also be supported by a DMP.”
If you are funded, there might be additional requirements that you need to meet. The main funder requirements are summarised in the data policy section.
How do I write a data management plan?
We recommend you to use the DMPOnline tool to create your data management plan, as it provides you with a variety of templates tailored to funder requirements as well as a basic template if you are unfunded. Guidance on using DMPOnline is available in our Introduction to using DMPonline video (duration 7:11), and the guide to creating a DMP using DMPOnline.
If you are creating a DMP to support a research grant application, you should check whether the funder requires the use of a specific template. Your Research Support Hubs can advise.
For PGR students and researchers where no funder requirement applies, the University provides a standard template. You can access it via DMPonline or download a Word version (DOCX file - 64KB).
Examples of data management plans
The RIO journal allows you to formally publish your data management plan. See their examples of published DMPs.
The Digital Curation Centre provides a collection of example DMPs and guidance.
Key resources
While preparing to draft your first DMP, familiarising yourself with various notions and practices relevant to secure data management is valuable. The following links contain in-house guidance, expert advice and relevant policy to help you make the appropriate provisions early on, saving you from nasty surprises during data creation/collection/processing.
Relevant University policies and guidance
DMP Review Service
The Scholarly Communications Team provides a Data Management Plan Review Service for Research Staff. We will review drafted data management plans before grant applications submissions and provide feedback.
Please allow at least two weeks for our review.
If you would like us to review your DMP, email us a draft of your plan to: research-data@contacts.bham.ac.uk. Also, make sure that you have included the name of the Principal Investigator, a summary of the project and the associated Funder.