Data Management Plan

The Data Management Plan (DMP) is revised, refined, and operationalized, so that data management becomes part of everyday research. 

What does the DMP should lock down at this stage?

Data lifecycle workflows

Use the DMP to specify concrete workflows for how visual data will be produced, selected, accessed, analyzed, handled, documented, preserved, and reused across the project.

Roles and responsibilities

Make explicit who does what in the research team: who collects / produces data, who manages storage and access, and who is responsible for metadata, anonymization, and deposit decisions. Make sure every team member is aware of the choices and implications of the DMP.

Documentation and metadata

Clarify how the data will be documented, because visual data requires context to remain interpretable and reusable. 

Data storage and preservation strategy

Develop an effective strategy for data archiving and retention that ensures security and continuity throughout the entire project lifecycle.

Data policies and dissemination

Use the DMP to define the project’s data policies and the terms under which data will be shared (or the reasons why it cannot be shared).

Ethics alignment and IRB/ethics review readiness

Formal ethics applications and revisions typically take place once the methodological design is sufficiently specified. Your DMP should match that level of specificity.