Data Management Plan (DMP)

Back to RDM Home Page

DMPs are increasingly required by funders (e.g., Horizon Europe, ERC, FNRS, FWO), often as early as the research proposal stage. They are sometimes perceived as an additional administrative burden with limited importance, but they offer many advantages throughout a research project:

• They serve as the backbone of your research project, guiding its entire organization.​

• You and your research partners can always refer to them. They provide a common, written understanding of every step of the project. For example:​

  • They offer common guidelines for data collection.​

  • They assist in addressing ethical and legal requirements.​

  • They provide common guidelines for file naming and database structure, as well as data quality assessment.​

  • They plan secure data storage facilities and strategies, improving risk management and preventing data loss.​

  • They encourage early planning for data sharing and its organization.​

• By defining everyone’s responsibilities, they help manage situations where a researcher leaves the project.​

• Although written at the beginning of the project, they can be updated as the project progresses.​

The greatest advantage is that, once established at the project’s outset, DMPs save time in later stages. They provide a reference during the project, ensuring procedures are followed, and serve as a useful basis for writing reports or methods sections in papers.​

Depending on your research project’s funder, you may need to complete different DMP templates. Check the flascards on funders’ requirements in terms of DMP.

More on Data Management Plan (DMP) :

Write your DMP on DMPonline.be

Plan data management cost

Useful Resources

The FWB Research Data Officers compiled the specificities of the different funders in terms of DMP into interactive flashcards.

The FWB Research Data Officers also  compiled a questionnaire to help you grasp the main attention points and recommandations specific to your data.

Watch this video produced by the CNRS to (re-)discover what are data management plans.

For more details about Horizon Europe – European Commission

The OpenAIRE website offers several webpages dedicated to completing DMPs for European Commission projects.​

• DMP creation

• Planning data management costs

• Factsheets for Horizon projects

• Use of data in European projects

Examples of DMPs

• Various disciplines and funders

• https://phaidra.univie.ac.at/detail/o:1140797 (Horizon 2020)

Further Guidance: Best Practices for Completing DMPs

DMPs contain several sections to complete, each with appropriate guidance. For detailed assistance, refer to the RDM Guide by ELIXIR Belgium, which provides comprehensive information.

These resources provide templates, best practices, and tools to help you effectively manage your research data throughout the project lifecycle.

Back to RDM Home Page