The Digital Research Alliance of Canada (the Alliance) is pleased to share new research data management (RDM) resources to assist in the development of institutional RDM strategies and data management plans (DMPs).
Institutional RDM Strategies Tools
The new institutional RDM strategy development tools include a revised Institutional Strategy Development Template and the RDM Maturity Assessment Model in Canada (MAMIC).
The new RDM Institutional Strategy Development Template was prompted by feedback from the Canadian RDM community, for which we are very grateful. The template guides users through five stages in the strategy development process, from assembling the strategy development team to launching and socializing the completed strategy. It also presents suggested section headings, informed by the Tri-Agency RDM Policy. This version also makes clear the process-focused nature of the template.
The RDM Maturity Assessment Model in Canada (MAMIC) is based on the RISE and SPARC assessment models and has been adapted to fit the Canadian institutional context. This tool is designed to help evaluate the current state of institutional RDM services and supports as part of an institutional RDM strategy development process. It focuses on four areas of service and support — Institutional Policies and Processes, IT Infrastructure, Support Services, and Financial Support — and allows users to assess the maturity and scale of these services.
These tools were developed by members of the National Training Expert Group and the Institutional RDM Strategy Template Revision Working Group. For more information about the institutional RDM strategies resources, please contact Jeff Moon, Director, Research Data Management, at jeff.moon@alliancecan.ca.
Data Management Plans Videos
This new video series is designed to familiarize researchers and those supporting them with DMPs and the DMP Assistant tool. These videos will also help researchers and institutions prepare to meet the upcoming Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy requirement to include DMPs with grant proposals, in addition to helping researchers implement RDM best practices in their work.
There are currently three videos available:
- Introduction to Data Management Plans (DMPs): Covers what DMPs are, why they benefit researchers, and the typical sections and information included in a DMP, while also pointing to available existing resources.
- Introduction to DMP Assistant: Covers the basic steps in using the DMP Assistant tool, including setting up an account and creating a new plan from scratch, as well as other features, such as downloading and sharing DMPs.
- Managing DMPs with DMP Assistant: A more in-depth exploration of the DMP Assistant’s features, including editing, downloading, sharing, copying, and removing DMPs.
These videos were developed through the hard work of the DMP Assistant 2.0 Tutorial Video Working Group of the Data Management Planning Expert Group, and are part of a suite of resources for understanding and creating DMPs. Please visit Portage Training Resources or the DMP Assistant for more information. If you have any questions about these videos or DMPs, please contact Alliance Data Management Planning Coordinator Robyn Nicholson at robyn.nicholson@alliancecan.ca.