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What is a Data Management Plan (DMP)?

A data management plan (DMP) is a living document throughout the project cycle that outlines how data will be handled throughout a research project. 

Benefits of creating a DMP

• Enhances the transparency and integrity of your research.
• Ensures the project meets the requirements of many institutions and funding agencies.
• Helps to increase the awareness of potential data management obstacles.
• Finally, a DMP helps to save time in the long run.

The GFBio DMP Tool

The GFBio DMP Tool provides an intuitive platform for the creation of detailed Data Management Plans (DMPs). It is user-friendly, and there are DMP officers to guide and support you.

This tool contains important questions on data management planning as it is based on the DFG Guidelines on the Handling of Research Data in Biodiversity Research.

Major features of the GFBio dmp tool

• Users need to respond to important questions about their project's data management.

• Next, download the entries as a structured PDF file. 

• DMP officers save a copy of the entry in the system and review it.

• Users can also request free personal DMP support from DMP experts.

• The tool users have the opportunity to save and edit their entries in the personal account they've established.

Steps to create a DMP with the GFBio DMP tool

Account access

Visit the GFBio DMP Tool website : https://www.gfbio.org/plan/

Create an account to save and manage your DMPs. This allows you to archive your entries, seek personal assistance, and review your DMP as your project advances.

Creating a new DMP

After logging in, initiate the creation of a new DMP. The tool will guide you through a sequence of enquiries categorised into five principal sections:

1. General Project Information: Include project title, description, and funding sources.
2. Data Collection: Define data kinds, formats, and methodologies.
3. Documentation and Metadata: Develop data documentation strategies and metadata protocols.
4. Ethics and Legal Compliance: Pertains to ethical issues, data privacy, and legal responsibilities.
5. Preservation and sharing: Data Storage, Backup, Archiving, and Sharing Strategies

General project information

Begin by providing fundamental information about your project, including:

• Project Title.
• Principal Investigator.
• Project Description.
• Financial resource information.

Data collection

Describe the data you wish to collect or generate:

• Data types (e.g., observational, experimental, simulated):
• Data formats
• Projected data volume
• Methods and tools for data collection
  

Documentation and Metadata

Describe the approach for documenting your data.

• Metadata standards that will be implemented
• Tools for creating metadata
• Documenting procedures for data analysis

Ethics and legal issues

Examine the ethical and legal ramifications.

• Data protection protocols
• Intellectual Property Rights
• Ethical approvals (if applicable).

Preservation and Sharing

Describe your long-term data preservation and distribution strategies: 

• Project data storage
• Long-term preservation plan.
• Methods and platforms for data sharing.
• Access restrictions (if appropriate)

Review and Finalise the DMP

Upon completing the questions, cross-check your responses for completeness and accuracy prior to downloading your DMP as a PDF document.

Please note that the standard PDF output from the GFBio DMP Tool is a provisional document. It is strongly recommended that you seek personal DMP assistance

from GFBio experts to enhance your plan prior to submitting it with funding proposals.

The final vision will have to be approved by a DMP officer.

Get support if needed through the winoda helpdesk: winoda@gfbio.org

Training materials are also available here.

Some DMP tools important for archaeologists :

CIfA Dig Digital DMP Toolkit: Chartered Institute for Archaeologists. (2023). Dig Digital DMP Toolkit. https://www.archaeologists.net/digdigital/dmp-toolkit

ARIADNEplus DMP Tools: ARIADNEplus. (2022). Data Management Plan Tools. https://ariadne-infrastructure.eu/resources/data-management-plan-tools/

Historic England's ADAPt Toolkit: Historic England. (2021). Archaeological Digital Archiving Protocol (ADAPt). https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/archaeological-digital-archiving-protocol/

Digital Curation Centre DMP Tools : Digital Curation Centre. (2023). DMPonline. https://dmponline.dcc.ac.uk/

Archaeology Data Service (ADS) DMP Resources: Archaeology Data Service. (2022). Data Management and Sharing Plans. https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/advice/DataManagementPlans.xhtml