ARGOS - a collaborative workspace for delivering DMPs

What it is

Argos (https://argos.openaire.eu) is an online machine-actionable tool developed by OpenAIRE to facilitate Research Data Management (RDM) activities concerning the implementation of Data Management Plans (DMPs). It is based on the OpenDMP open source software, a product of collaboration between OpenAIRE and EUDAT CDI, and is available through the OpenAIRE Service catalogue and the EOSC. Argos addresses Open and FAIR principles and best practices and assumes no barriers for its use and adoption. It does so by applying common standards for machine-actionable DMPs as defined by the global research data community and by communicating and consulting with researchers, research communities and funders to better reflect on their needs.

Who is it for?

Argos is designed as a tool for inclusive use by researchers, funders, research communities or institutions. Researchers are able to create their DMPs in collaboration with other colleagues, learn basic RDM concepts throughout the process and publish DMPs as outputs in an open and FAIR manner, among other things by assigning DOIs and licenses and by maintaining DMPs as living documents through versioning. At the same time, Argos can be configured and deployed by funders, institutions and research communities. They can plug in their own services and/ or make use of OpenAIRE underlying services that Argos is built with ad-hoc.

How can I use it?

Argos has two main functionalities:

A DMP wizard-editor
A Dataset wizard-editor

DMP wizard provides the context around which a DMP is created. It contains questions relevant to the research project and funding it concerns or responsible actors on its creation. It also deals with information that regards DMP distribution as an output, such as access rights, license, etc..

Dataset wizard provides insight on how new or existing datasets have been described for the purpose of a given research. It contains questions according to Open and FAIR data recommendations or requirements found in research funders, research institutions or research communities RDM templates.

By making this distinction between descriptions of DMPs and Datasets, Argos allows datasets to be described separately, per type of data (e.g. a DMP may contain a description of a sensitive dataset and a description of a simulation dataset, etc) and / or per scientific discipline (e.g. a DMP may contain a description of a linguistics dataset and a description of an archaeological dataset, etc), and offers the possibility for descriptions of datasets to be copied and re-used in other DMPs within its platform.

Argos can be used for:

A. Viewing / consulting publicly released DMPs and Dataset Descriptions or Projects corresponding to DMPs
The tool offers options for publishing DMPs in two modes, private or public. To view public DMPs and Dataset Descriptions, there is no need for login to the platform.

B. Writing and publishing a DMP

The tool helps researchers comply with mandates that may be attached to their grant proposal / project funding. They can therefore choose from the most suitable to their needs template from the Dataset Descriptions collection and proceed with answering the corresponding questions. Once finalized, researchers can assign a DOI to their DMP, publish and eventually cite it.

C. Practicing in writing DMPs and Dataset Descriptions
Given that Data Management Planning reflects the data management lifecycle and in accordance / response to the increasing demand of the global scientific / research community for training in Research Data Management (RDM), ARGOS may be used for educational purposes. Examples may refer to embedding DMP and DMP tools in specific curricula or even utilization of the tool for researchers and students familiarization with the concept and process, as part of library instructions’ sessions.