Is the Future… Now?! Reflections from the OSTrails SURF Research Day 2025 workshop on machine actionable DMPs

On May 20th, the OSTrails project took part in SURF Research Day 2025 with a session titled "Is the future… now?! Exploring machine actionable DMPs with OSTrails-NL & ARGOS" . The workshop brought together more than 30 Dutch research data professionals to explore how machine actionable Data Management Plans (maDMPs) can support integrated, FAIR-aligned workflows across their organisations.

The session took stock of last year's discussion "What's behind the Data Management Plan of the future?" which raised thoughtful questions about the administrative burden of DMPs, their usefulness to different stakeholders, and the potential role of automation. Building on those conversations, this year we moved from vision to implementation.

Exploring the Dutch landscape of DMP workflows

The session followed a hybrid format combining short presentations with interactive activities to further engage with participants and a tool demostration. It provided an opportunity to connect broader goals around interoperability and FAIRness with the practical realities of managing data-related workflows in Dutch institutions. In doing so, it highlighted how OSTrails is working to:

• Support interoperability through alignment with the DMP Common Standard

• Enable FAIR assessment of plans and associated research outputs

• Offer pathways for institutions to connect planning with execution and reporting

As part of the Dutch pilot, we showcased ARGOS and the Leiden University blueprint to demonstrate how data management planning can become a practical, integrated part of research workflows, rather than a disconnected administrative task.

Following the Leiden example, participants were invited to sketch out how data management, ethics, and privacy processes are currently handled in their affiliated institutions. These hand-drawn workflow diagrams sparked conversation about fragmentation, duplicated efforts, and where bottlenecks tend to appear.

Digging the surface

As we moved into the discussion, it became clear that many institutions are still figuring out how to bring different processes together. People shared that data management, ethics, and privacy are often handled separately, by different teams, in different systems, with little coordination. That fragmentation creates extra work, confusion, and often leaves researchers without a clear path.

There was a real interest in how maDMP tools might help address this, but also some hesitation. The idea of automating parts of planning is appealing, especially for reducing administrative burden, but it also raised questions. How do you build something structured without making it rigid? Can a plan be both machine-actionable and flexible enough to work across disciplines and contexts?

We also touched on the DMP Common Standard, which many recognised as valuable, though not a current priority. Institutions are often focused on tailoring internal tools to immediate needs, which can leave machine actionability and interoperability in the background.

Looking ahead

This dialogue doesn't end here. The Dutch pilot within the OSTrails project is ongoing, and we are looking forward to working more closely with institutions that want to explore how tools like ARGOS can support coordination across data management, privacy, and ethics. Future activities will include more testing, follow-up sessions, and opportunities to feed back into the development of templates and workflows that reflect local needs.

OSTrails will be continuing these exchanges through the OSTrails mentorship programme, where institutions can learn from one another and experiment with shared tools and frameworks in a more supported setting.

End scene

A big thanks to everyone who joined us and to Eileen Waegemaekers (SURF), Andrew S. Hoffman (CWTS), Céline Richard (Leiden Univeristy), and Elli Papadopoulou (Athena RC / OpenAIRE) for shaping and running the session.