Data Management Plans

A data management plan (DMP) is a living document for a research project, which outlines data creation, data policies, access and ownership rules, management practices, management facilities and equipment, and who will be responsible for what. It further outlines important decisions generated or gathered during the course of a research project.

Research funders in New Zealand are increasingly requesting a DMP for funded research projects. 

UC Library and the eResearch Team provides training, support and tooling to assist you in creating a DMP.  You can book into one of our monthly Research Data Management workshops to learn more about research data management and DMPs using the library workshop calender below.

Benefits of a Data Management Plan

1. Increased Research Efficiency: You can find, understand, and use data when you need it.
2. Quality Assurance: DMPs help ensure the quality, integrity and accessibility of research data. 
3. Enhanced Reputation: Shared data enhances research visibility and increases citations. 
4. Compliance Support: A DMP supports researchers to comply with ethical codes, data protection laws, journal requirements, and funder policies. 
5. Ease of Sharing: Documenting your data throughout its lifecycle makes it easier for you to share and for others to understand and reuse your data 
6. Time Saving: Planning for your expected data, backing them up, and documenting them in detail preserves time that is otherwise lost in searching for, recovering, and deciphering data in the future. 

Inadequate data management can lead to catastrophes like the loss of data or the violation of people’s privacy. Your eResearch Consultant will request a DMP upon receiving a request for data storage, or research cloud compute services. If there isn’t a DMP in place, we will help you write one!

Create a Data Management Plan

UC's online DMPTool contains UC templates and guidance to help you to create a Data Management Plan. Use your UC email to sign in. Find out more about using DMPTool below.

Data Management Planning Support

 The following are a list of resources for DMPs:

• DMPTool maintains a repository of funder specific templates and example DMPs.
• DMP Online maintains a repository of funder specific templates and example DMPs.
• See the Library Subject Guide for links to Data Management Plans.
• See the Australian Research Data Commons for examples of DMPs Data Management Plans | Australian Research Data Commons | ARDC.  

Data management plans may have specific requirements depending on the funder. Talk to us if your research data requires additional protection, for example if the research project is subject to Trusted Research Protective Security Requirements.

Data management planning and Research Data Management support is provided by the eResearch Team (Digital Services) and the Library. The Data management planning and Research Data Management LibGuides page provides some helpful information, and if you require consultancy for Research Data Management, you can request assistance from the eResearch team by filling out the eResearch Consultancy ServiceNow Form. We are available during our weekly eResearch Clinic at Puaka James Hight library Room 210 (if available) at 11am on Tuesdays.