A data management plan (DMP) is a formal document that outlines how a researcher intends to manage their research data during and after a project.
Creating a DMP can help you:
- Make decisions about managing your data and understand the implications of those decisions
- Identify resources and tools needed for your research
- Estimate costs for resources and tools and budget accordingly
- Anticipate and mitigate problems (e.g. data loss, duplication of effort, security breaches)
- Ensure everyone in your research group understands what is happening with the data
Creating a DMP
A DMP should follow the format specified by a funder or any other relevant requirements. If no format is specified you can create a DMP in whatever way works for you (e.g., a text document or Excel file). You can use the DMP Planning Checklist and Question Guide to help develop your DMP.
DMPs should be created in consultation with all research group members and partners. If you are conducting research with Indigenous communities, your DMP should be co-created with those communities.
Online DMP tools
There are also a number of free, online tools that can help you draft a DMP. These tools provide templates based on discipline, research method, institutional context, and funding requirements.
- DMP Assistant (Canada, provides templates based on discipline and research method)
- DMPOnline (United Kingdom, provides templates from various UK funding agencies)
- DMPTool (United States, provides templates from various US funding agencies)
Examples of DMPs
- Canadian examples from the Digital Research Alliance of Canada
- Canadian examples from DMP Assistant (public plans, not vetted)
- Canadian and international examples from McMaster University's Data Management Plan Database
- NIH sample data management and sharing plans
- US examples from DMPTool (public plans, not vetted)
- UK examples from the Digital Curation Centre
- UK examples from DMPonline (public plans, not vetted)
Resources
Library resources
- Data Management Plan (DMP) - Planning Checklist - this checklist can be used to ensure you’ve included all relevant information in a DMP or to help you gather information you will need to complete your DMP.
- Data Management Plan (DMP) - Question Guide - this guide includes prompting questions and guidance to help you develop a DMP.
Library services
The library provides support for:
- Understanding what information and level of detail to include in a DMP
- Navigating funder and journal requirements
- Reviewing DMPs for completeness
- DMP Assistant
Please note that our services are intended to provide support and guidance. The library cannot validate methodological approaches.
External resources
- Brief Guide - Create an Effective Data Management Plan (Digital Research Alliance of Canada)
- Brief Guide - Data Management Plan (Digital Research Alliance of Canada)
- DMP Assistant Video Tutorial Series (Digital Research Alliance of Canada)
- Primer - Data Management Plans (Digital Research Alliance of Canada)
- Guide to Preparing a Data Management Plan (SSHRC - Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council)
- Data Management Plans for NEH Office of Digital Humanities Proposals and Awards (NEH - National Endowment for the Humanities)
- Writing a Data Management & Sharing Plan (NIH - National Institutes of Health)
- Preparing Your Data Management Plan (NSF - National Science Foundation)
- Costs of Data Management (Utrecht University)
- Data management costing tool and checklist (UK Data Service)
- How to Develop a Data Management and Sharing Plan (Digital Curation Centre)