A Data Management Plan (DMP) outlines how you handle information throughout the research process. Umeå University recommends creating a data management plan, even if it is not required by your funding body. Templates are available to assist you in this process.
Information on data management plans from the Swedish National Data Service (SND).
You are expected to write a data management plan
Writing a data management plan is not only good research practice but also helps structure your research data management. If your research involves multiple participants, a DMP also serves as practical tool to communicate workflow, role allocation, data ownership and synchronised data processing.
Many large research funding organisations require researchers to write data management plans for funded projects. Umeå University strongly recommends its researchers to create a data management plan for each new research project. If you are a doctoral student, you should set up a data management plan together with your supervisors when drafting your research plan.
Content of the data management plan
The data management plan serves as a tool to create a workflow for data management throughout your research work. A data management plan usually includes, among other things:
information about the person responsible for research data management;
a description of what information your research data contains;
information on the formats you will use to describe your data;
procedures for documenting research data;
methods for assessing the quality and accuracy of the research data;
appropriate ways to store and protect the research data and the associated information;
information about how the FAIR principles will be applied;
a description of how the research data will be archived; and
details on how the research data will be made available.
Use a template for data management plans
Umeå University has developed a template based on recommendations from Science Europe, which are also adhered to by the Swedish Research Council and Formas. This template is available in DMPonline and can be used if the funding body in question does not provide its own template or description of the plan.
Create your data management plan in DMPonline
DMPonline is a user-friendly tool that allows you to easily create and continuously work on your data management plan, generating different versions as needed. You can share the plan with others and decide whether it should be made public.
If you need a template different from that of the University, DMPonline also gives you access to templates from funders and other organisations.
Log in to DMPonline using your Umu-id and password – the first time you log in, you must create a user account. Once logged in, you will see your dashboard, where you can view your existing data management plans.
Select "Create Plans" to start a new plan.
Enter the project title and indicate whether it is a mock project.
Keep the default "Umeå University" as the primary research organisation.
Tick the box labelled "no funder" to access templates from Umeå University (or you can search for a funder if you want to use another template).
Select the DMP template version that you want to use.
The templates from the Swedish Research Council and the European Commission are included in the templates provided by DMPonline. However, these templates are not available in a question-based form.
Umeå University templates available in DMPonline
Umeå University's data management plan template is available in various versions:
a free-form template (available in Swedish and English)
a question-based template (available in Swedish and English)
a question-based template adapted for KBC, Chemical Biological Centre (available in English).
The different templates contain data management questions recommended by Science Europe. The templates ask these questions in different ways. The free-form version contains all the questions, while the question-based version adapts the questions to your answers and provides suggestions on how to answer them. For example, if you answer that you do not have sensitive data, no questions will appear related to this topic. In this way, the question-based template can guide you in writing your data management plan.
The data management plan changes during the research process
A data management plan requires regular updates throughout the research process to accommodate any changes that may affect data management. These may include changes in personnel, research methodologies, or legislation. It is, therefore, advisable to review and revise the plan regularly during your research process. In addition, if your project receives EU funding, you may need to submit updated versions of your data management plan as required.
Your data management plan must be preserved
When you have finished your research work, you must preserve the data management plan according to the instructions outlined in Umeå University's retention plan for documents.
The library's research data team is available to assist you if you have any questions about data management plans. They can also review your data management plan and provide feedback on its content.
