Data Management Plan guidance and AHRC template

Project name


Author	----------
[institution-name-here] Lead	----------
Date	----------
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PI	----------
Department or Client organisation	----------
Funder & Scheme	----------
Size of overall grant	----------

1. Purpose of the document

Data management is integral to any RSE team Software Development Lifecycle. In particular, discussions on data management inform pre-project phase (Feasibility and Foundations stages) and define release and post-project phases. With respect to the pre-project phase when and how data management is introduced and discussed with partners depends on the scope, size and type of project, but typically Data Management Plans are produced as part of funding applications.

Usually the RS analyst is in charge of drafting these kinds of plans or other similar technical documentation in collaboration with the partner and in alignment with Library services, relevant College policies, national and international regulations (from funders’ open access to data requirements to GDPR compliance).

At the pre-project stage, typical questions related to data management that the analyst will ask to guide their understanding of existing or expected data management practices include the following:

Example questions and prompts	Check
What kind of data (type, format and size) are partners expecting to create and/or process?
Where are the datasets hosted if they already exists or where are partners expecting to host them, and for how long?

Questions should aim to elicit any other relevant details to inform the assessment of requirements connected to data management and data workflows (e.g. requirements with respect to data import and export functionalities, data processing, versioning, citability, compliance to domain-specific standards, data anonymization and sensitivity, re-use and licensing).

The purpose of the data management plan document outline below is to provide content for the AHRC (and other RCUK funding application) Data Management Plan. Note that what follows below is indicative and the plan should follow the guidelines of the funder with respect to content and style.

The sub-questions are added for reference but could be removed to make the text more concise as appropriate.

2. Completing the DMP

DATA SUMMARY

1. Briefly introduce the types of data the research will create. Why did you decide to use these data types?

The main output of the project will be [ADD as appropriate]. The project team will create detailed metadata discoverable in standard formats. In particular, [ADD here any relevant information on standards] for interoperability and citability purposes.

Copy and ADD here any relevant information from Product Quote development approach / solution architecture as appropriate.

IF APPLICABLE ADD: The project will not gather or create any personal data.

DATA COLLECTION

2. Give details on the proposed methodologies that will be used to create the data. Advise how the project team selected will be suitable for the data/digital aspects of the work, including details of how the institution’s data support teams may need to support the project

[ADD as appropriate] will be created with the support of the RSE Team in consultation with the research project team. The RSE Team is highly experienced in working with teams of scholars on publicly-funded digital humanities research projects ranging from large scale and complex online scholarly resources such as [ADD as appropriate] and is well practiced in processing and presenting research outputs in ways that cater to both scholarly and general users.

The RSE Team will build the project resource using a flexible web development framework such as [ADD as appropriate] taken from Product Quote solution architecture section as appropriate.

ADD (usually provided by research team) details on how data are collected (e.g. in situ at libraries/archives).

Research team members will also be able to create and control website copy and project documentation material using the same interface. This will be facilitated by [ADD as appropriate] and copy from Product Quote solution architecture section as appropriate. The data will be stored in [ADD as appropriate] copy from Product Quote solution architecture section as appropriate.

SHORT-TERM DATA STORAGE

3. How will the data be stored in the short term?

The RSE Team hosts websites on a [ADD as appropriate] servers located in [ADD as appropriate]. The infrastructure is current and is regularly upgraded to ensure sustained levels of performance and reliability.

3a. What backup will you have in the in-project period to ensure no data is lost?
A dedicated full time member of staff is responsible for the management of the RSE server infrastructure, backed up by [ADD as appropriate], e.g. institutional Information Technology Services department. [EDIT as appropriate] Daily backup procedures are in place, with each backup being retained for 30 days. Backups can be used not only for data recovery but also to fully recover a virtual server into an operational state.

LONG-TERM DATA STORAGE

4. How the data will be stored in the long term?

The application source code and generated content will remain freely accessible at [ADD as appropriate] repository. Users can download material and reuse it under the terms of the MIT License [AMEND as appropriate].

At the end of the project, a copy of the project data will be deposited via [ADD as appropriate] Research Data Management System (RDMS) to ensure long term preservation and accessibility.

4a. Where have you decided to store it, why is this appropriate?

The [ADD as appropriate] RDMS is backed up by [ADD as appropriate]. [EDIT as appropriate] It provides secure long-term storage for research data and is fully managed by the institution's Library services.

4b. How long will it be stored for and why?

The project will make use of the server infrastructure available at [institution-name here] for storing the data, and hosting and publishing the project X [EDIT as needed] e.g. website and database, for the duration of the project and an inclusive period of hosting and maintenance of five years. At the end of the support period RSE Team will discuss options for ongoing archiving, maintenance and/or preservation, and develop a Service Level Agreement (SLA) to define ongoing management of the website.

[Institution-name here] Library Services is committed to preserving research data for a minimum of five years after the end of the project. The dataset deposited with [ADD as appropriate] RDMS will be issued with a DOI. A metadata record for the dataset will also be published in the university’s data catalogue to further increase discoverability and impact.

4c. Costs of storage – why are these appropriate? Costs related to long term storage will be permitted providing these are fully justified and relate to the project. Full justification must be provided in Justification of Resources (JoR)

As per the JoR, costs for the five years RSE Service Level Agreement amount to X [EDIT as needed] and include ... [ADD all details from Costings template for post-funding period SLA].

The [institution-name here] Research Data Repository is currently free at the point of use.

DATA SHARING

5. How the data will be shared and the value it will have to others?

ADD as appropriate project specific information but some boilerplate text to adapt below:
Data will be fully searchable and open access, facilitating new research, dissemination and engagement beyond the project period.

5a. How the data will enhance the area and how it could be used in the future?

ADD as appropriate project specific information.

5b. Releasing the data – advise when you will be releasing and justify if not releasing in line with AHRC guidelines of a minimum of three years. If the data will have value to different audiences, how these groups will be informed?

Possible boilerplate but adapt based on project specs:
This data will be released gradually over the course of the project period. Potential users will be notified of new releases via the project blog [ADD only if applicable] and announcements to relevant organisations and listservs.

5c. Will the data need to be updated? Include future plans for updating if this is the case.

Possible boilerplate but adapt based on project specs:
The database web interface will allow newly discovered and/or expanded metadata to be added by the project team for a minimum of five years beyond the funded project period.

5d. Will the data be open or will you charge for it? Justify if charging to access the data.
The content of the digital resource will be made freely available to users during and after the research project period under X [EDIT as needed] License.

5e. Financial requirements of sharing – include full justification in the JoR.
Costs for hosting the website for five years after the grant's completion have been included in the JoR.

ETHICAL AND LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

6a. Any legal and ethical considerations of collecting the data
ADD as appropriate project specific information / licence.

6b. Legal and ethical considerations around releasing and storing the data – anonymity of any participants, following promises made to participants
ADD as appropriate project specific information / GDPR.

RESPONSIBILITIES

[EDIT as needed]

study-wide data management: (PI), RAs, [institution-name here]
metadata creation: RAs, (PI), RSE Team
data security: (PI), RSE Team, Information Technology Services department at [institution-name here]
quality assurance of data: (PI), RAs, RSE Team

RELEVANT INSTITUTIONAL, DEPARTMENTAL OR STUDY POLICIES ON DATA SHARING AND DATA SECURITY