What is DMP Tool?
DMP Tool helps you create and maintain data management and sharing plans (DMS Plan). It provides step-by-step guidance for creating your own DMS Plan, including templates and sample plans to help you address requirements specific to Harvard and your funding sources.
Using DMP Tool at Harvard
Harvard is a DMP Tool partner institution. Log in using your Harvard credentials.
- Go to DMP Tool
- Enter your Harvard email address in the "Login / Sign up" box and click "Continue"
- After you see the prompt "Your address is associated with: Harvard University (harvard.edu)," click "Sign in with Institution (SSO)" to continue
- Enter your Harvard Key credentials and click "Sign In"
Harvard DMP Tool Templates
There are two templates available on the DMP Tool that provide Harvard-specific guidance, resources, and policies to help you create a relevant and useful data management plan for grants or other research projects.
Learn More About Data Management Plans
What Is a Data Management Plan?
A data management and sharing plan, or DMS Plan, is a document that outlines how data will be handled during and after a research project. Most researchers collect data with some form of plan in mind, but it's often inadequately documented and incomplete. Many data management issues can be handled easily or avoided entirely by planning ahead. With the right process and framework, it doesn't take too long and can pay off enormously in the long run.
Many funding agencies, especially government sources, require a DMS Plan as part of their application processes. Even if you are not seeking funding for your research, documenting a plan for your research data is a best practice and will help your data comply with Harvard's policies for responsible data management.
What Do I Include in a DMS Plan?
Information contained in a data management plan describes your plan for addressing many aspects of working with data. A DMS Plan doesn't need to be long. It should include things like:
- Data Collection: What data will you collect, create, and/or acquire? What type, format, and volume of data?
- Documentation and Metadata: How will you document and describe your data?
- Ethics and Legal Compliance: What privacy and confidentiality issues must you address?
- Storage and Backup: How and where will you store and secure your data?
- Selection and Preservation: Which data are of long-term value and should be retained, shared, and/or preserved?
- Data Sharing: How will you provide access to your data by other researchers? How will others discover your data?
- Responsibilities and Resources: Who is responsible for implementing the DMS Plan, and ensuring it is reviewed and revised? What resources will you require to deliver your plan?