A data management plan (DMP) is a written document that describes the data used within a researcher project. This includes: 
A data management plan helps achieve optimal handling, organising, documenting and enhancing of research data.
It is particularly important for facilitating data sharing, ensuring the sustainability and accessibility of data in the long-term and allowing data to be reused for future research.
For the effective management of data, planning must start when research is being designed and needs to consider both how data will be managed during the research and how they will be shared afterwards.
This involves thinking critically about the sharing of research data, what might limit or prohibit data sharing, and whether any steps can be taken to remove such limitations.
Good practice is also to regularly update the data management plan as research progresses, for example during six-monthly project meetings. That way, the plan becomes important documentation and a quality assurance statement for your research data in the long term. UK Data Service
Research Funders and Publishers
Publicly funded research data are a public good and produced in the public interest. As such, research data that should be made openly available with as few restrictions as possible in a timely and responsible manner that does not harm intellectual property. UK Data Service
Many research funders and article/book publishers require require grant-holders to submit a DMP both at the preparation/early stages, and after the project is concluded.
More and more, funders and publishers require a short data management statement or plan as part of the grant proposal process, and a full-blown DMP after funding has been approved. Ghent University
Institutional Requirements 
One of the key issues to think about at the start of data management planning is to know your institution’s policies and services, such as storage and backup strategy, research integrity framework, Intellectual Property rights policy, and any data sharing facilities like an institutional repository. UK Data Service
Planning helps to clarify, at an early stage, individual and institutional roles and responsibilities. Ghent University
At Rhodes University, it is mandatory that all Masters and PhD theses and dissertations are deposited into the Rhodes Digita
l Commons (Theses & Dissertations) institutional repository.
Researchers and Postgraduate students are encouraged to deposit their research data into the Institutional 
Data Repository; which uses the FigShare Platform.
Researchers are often unfamiliar with the support and services available to them. Listed below are some guides for researchers:
Training
UK Data Service - interactive RDM training hub
Rhodes University Research Support Units
Some Universities and Institutions have a mandate for all researchers to provide DMPs for each research project. Rhodes University does not currently have a DMP mandate.
However, it is strongly advocated that all Masters & PhD students, and researchers develop DMPS at the start of the research project
Online tools
DMP Tool. Create Data Management Plans that meet researchers' requirements and promotes research
Researchers need to plan, design and organise their research process: 
These are the core elements of Data Management Plans (DMPs) and as such, are to be initiated at the start of any research project/undertaking.
Creating a DMP is considered good research practice. Decisions made early on in the research project helps researchers save time, consider the necessary resources and costs. These will be required for funding/grant applications
A good DMP takes into account the applicable regulations and data policies, and considers the whole research data lifecycle. Ghent University
One of the key issues to think about at the start of Data Management Planning is to design data management according to the needs and purpose of the research. It is also important to aim to incorporate data management measures as an integral part of your research cycle. UK Data Service
Use a checklist to develop a data management plan
The DCC checklist was developed to guide researchers through the step-by-step process to managing data from the funding application, through the research process, publication and finally post-publication.
Keep in mind
It is good practice to review the DMP throughout the research process
Funder and Publisher requirements
One of the key issues to think about at the start of Data Management Planning is to meet the funders and publishers research data requirements
“Planning how your data will be looked after – many funders now require data plans as part of applications” University of Oxford
What to cover in your DMP may also depend on your funder. Many research funders provide their own DMP template. UK Data Service
Resources required 
One of the key issues to think about at the start of Data Management Planning is to decide what resources will be required.
Research Data Management saves time and resources
Researchers will spend less time on data management and more time on research by investing the time and energy at the start of the project. University of Oxford
Planning helps to focus on the resources and funding needed to implement good data management practices. It is essential to identify the type of support, resources, services needed throughout the project. UK Data Service
Types of resources to consider:
Finding Data
One of the key issues to think about at the start of Data Management Planning is to decide where to locate/find data
"Finding the right data for the research is easiest when there is a well-thought-out strategy." Texas Universities
It is important to know for researchers to decide whether to collect new data or reuse existing data. University of Pittsburgh
Data Ethics 
One of the key issues to think about at the start of Data Management Planning is to know the legal, ethical and other obligations regarding research data, towards research participants, colleagues, research funders and institutions. UK Data Service
Researchers need to know how any of the ethical and legal issues will be dealt with. Ghent University
They are required to know the legal, ethical and other obligations regarding research data, towards research participants, colleagues, research funders and institutions. UK Data Service
Important considerations:
1. Human subjects 
2. Animal subjects 
3. Sensitive data 
How will sensitive data be handled to ensure it is stored and transferred securely? DCC checklist
Data Collection
One of the key issues to think about at the start of Data Management Planning is to plan how data will be collected.
A data management and sharing plan at the start of every research journey or project helps researchers to consider the following when they decide on what to do with the research data:
Source: UK Data Service
Data Analysis
One of the key issues to think about at the start of Data Management Planning is to decide how the data will be analysed, represented and visualised.
How will the samples be collected and analyzed?
Good management helps to prevent errors and increases the quality of data analysis
Data preservation, data storage and data security
One of the key issues to think about at the start of Data Management Planning is to know the Rhodes University policies and services on issues such as storage and backup strategy, research integrity framework, Intellectual Property rights policy, and any data sharing facilities like an institutional repository. UK Data Service
Data preservation and data security as data, especially digital data, is fragile and easily lost. University of Oxford
Sensitive Data
Many public research funders require a data management and sharing plan as part of research grant applications. They also expect data to be shared. UK Data Service
Data Licensing
One of the key issues to think about at the start of Data Management Planning is to decide on the data licensing and ownership issues.
"In today's technology-rich environment, companies increasingly recognize the value of data as a business asset that should be protected and can be exploited through licensing to third parties. Companies and their counsel therefore can encounter a range of agreements that implicate the protection and treatment of data and related intellectual property (IP) rights. Where one party is seeking to exploit a data feed or has developed a database it wishes to license, data issues may be the specific focus of a transaction. However, data issues also arise as an ancillary consideration in other licenses and commercial transactions, in particular technology services arrangements." Thompson Reuters
Data Use Agreement (DUA)
"A Data Use Agreement (DUA) is a binding contract governing access to and treatment of nonpublic data provided by one party (a “Provider”) to another party (a “Recipient”). DUAs are often required by external parties before they permit data to be accessed by Harvard, and may also be necessary in order for Harvard data to be disclosed to another organization. DUA terms and conditions vary depending on the laws and regulations governing the specific type of data to be shared, as well as the policies and/or requirements of the Provider and Recipient." Harvard University
Risk protection
One of the key issues to think about at the start of Data Management Planning is to think about potential risks and how to counter them.
It is essential to protect institutions from reputation, financial and legal risk. University of Oxford
Data Sharing
One of the key issues to think about at the start of Data Management Planning is to know Rhodes University policies and services on issues such as storage and backup strategy, research integrity framework, Intellectual Property rights policy, and any data sharing facilities like an institutional repository. UK Data Service
Research Data Management facilitates sharing of research data and, when shared, data can lead to valuable discoveries by others outside of the original research team
Research integrity
One of the key issues to think about at the start of Data Management Planning is to know Rhodes University's policies and services, such as storage and backup strategy, research integrity framework, Intellectual Property rights policy, and any data sharing facilities like an institutional repository. UK Data Service
Well-managed and accessible data allows others to validate and replicate findings, and to ensure research integrity.
RDM is a due diligence practice that ensures the researcher retains transparency and accountability.
Data Retrieval
One of the key issues to think about at the start of Data Management Planning is to consider data retrieval.
"Retrieve is the process of obtaining information or data from a storage location. In the realm of technology and computing, it commonly refers to accessing stored data in databases, files, or memory". Lenovo
Standards and Community of Practice
Publicly funded research data must:
Therefore, one of the key issues to think about at the start of Data Management Planning is to assign roles and responsibilities to relevant parties. UK Data Service.
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