Guides for Researchers
How to create a Data Management Plan
for H2020 projects
Data Management Plans
Projects participating in the Horizon 2020 Open Research Data Pilot will be required to develop several versions of a Data Management Plan (DMP), in which they will specify what data will be kept for the longer term.
Other projects are invited to submit a Data Management Plan if it is relevant for their planned research.
First Steps
Taking ARGOS as default DMP tool, which offers DMP templates that match the demands and suggestions of the Guidelines on Data Management in Horizon 2020, it is recommended to refer it the Principal Researcher.
A DMP in Argos consists of key information about the research, such as purpose, objectives and researchers involved, but also about documentation of research datasets, namely Datasets that highlight the steps followed and the means used across data management activities.
- Sign up to ARGOS
- Select Start new DMP > Start Wizard
- Fill in the following fields:
- Title of DMP*
- Description
(Briefly describe the context and purpose of the DMP) - Language
(Select the language of your DMP) - Visibility
(Choose how the DMP is displayed in Argos: Restricted or Public) - Researchers
(Add the names of people that have produced, processed, analysed the data described in the DMP) - Organizations
(Add the name(s) of the organization(s) contributing to the creation and revision of the DMP) - Funding organizations*
(Select European Commission from the list) - Grants*
(Find the grant of your research or add new) - Project
(This field is to be completed only for projects where multiple grants apply) - License
(Assign a license to your DMP by selecting the most appropriate from the list) - Dataset info*
(Select a template to describe your datasets: H2020)
- Select Save & Add Dataset
* Required field
Once you select Save & Add Dataset, you have successfully created your DMP and will be transferred to the Dataset editor.
Datasets are documented following pre-defined templates which set the content of dataset descriptions. In Argos, a DMP can contain as many dataset descriptions as the datasets it documents.
A DMP in ARGOS can be saved anytime. It can also be shared and it can be downloaded/exported in various formats (in machine readable (.xml) and machine-actionable (.json) formats). A user guide is avaible in the portal at https://argos.openaire.eu/user-guide.
ARGOS is a OpenAIRE service that simplifies the management, validation, monitoring and maintenance of Data Management Plans. It allows actors (researchers, managers, supervisors etc) to create actionable DMPs that may be freely exchanged among infrastructures for carrying out specific aspects of the Data management process in accordance with the intentions and commitment of Data owners.
When to write and revise the Data Management Plan
The first version of the DMP is expected to be delivered within the first 6 months of the project. More elaborated versions of the DMP can be delivered at later stages of the project.
The DMP should be updated as a minimum in time with the periodic evaluation/assessment of the project. If there are no other periodic reviews foreseen within the grant agreement, then such an update needs to be made in time for the final review at the latest. Furthermore, the consortium can define a timetable for review in the DMP itself.
New versions of the DMP should be created whenever important changes to the project occur due to inclusion of new data sets, changes in consortium policies or external factors.
More information
The Guidelines on FAIR Data Management in Horizon 2020 (v3, July 2016) describe what a Data Management Plan should cover. Based on the Guidelines the Digital Curation Centre has included a DMP template in its DMPonline platform. You can write, export and update the DMP.
In addition, the Digital Curation Centre has linked its own guidance to several elements of the templates, which extends the EC guidance in the Guidelines. All guidance is located on the right-hand side of the web page.