Benefits and Challenges: Data Management Plans in Two Collaborative Projects

Abstract

The data-driven shift in the science research leads to a wider range of research data. To manage this data in a sustainable and adequate way, data management plans (DMPs) were established as a method. However, some researchers still do not create DMPs due to lack of time, resources and understanding of the needs. Furthermore, most of the existing templates and tools are largely unknown. In this article, we investigated the benefits and challenges of DMPs in two joint research projects of several academic institutions. For this, we described the process during the DMP creation, potential challenges and benefits experienced. We showed that a DMP with completely uniform content among the partner institutions was not possible due to individual and subject differences (e.g., in storage and policies). Instead, individual texts had to be formulated in some cases to overcome the diversity. This complexity could not be handled with the existing tools. Therefore, both projects created an own adapted template with some generic contents. Existing guidelines and internal project policies helped during the generation. We experienced that fewer people work more efficiently on a DMP than many and that all researchers within the project can profit from every individual DMP. Although we were not required to produce one, we recognised the associated benefits as a guide during the research process in joint projects.