Background

The Alaska Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to improving the management of its data resources and is included in the regional strategic intent. As a result, a comprehensive, long-term plan to develop and implement a Regional Data Management System (RDMS) began in the spring of 2020, with the expectation that the RDMS will be operational and in use in 3 to 5 years.

Properly managed data are documented, secure, discoverable, and accessible and timely. Documentation (i.e., metadata or data about data) provides sufficient and relevant information so that users can understand, interpret, and use all of the data and resulting products without additional guidance. Security procedures prevent loss and ensure data integrity. Discoverable data is readily found (e.g., using a data catalog), whereas accessible data is readily obtained (e.g., downloaded from a website). Using these qualities together ensures the effectiveness and efficiency of the data resources both within the Service and beyond.

This user guide describes the data management activities necessary to build a preservation folder for a project. Data resources within the folder are the subject of metadata records and these resources, supported by their metadata records, are the authoritative versions intended for long-term storage, all subsequent workflow, analysis, products, and sharing to outside partners.

This Interim Data Management User Guide is primarily for biologists and their supervisors in Fisheries and Ecological Services (FES), Migratory Bird Management (MBM), National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS), and the Office of Subsistence Management (OSM). This guide is a living document (working draft) and revisions will reflect the ongoing development of the available systems in addition to feedback obtained from users. The procedures and processes outlined here attempt to employ best practices under the current restrictions imposed by resource and policy limitations. The team anticipates streamlining the current activities necessary in the interim for the final RDMS.

The first section of the document, Introduction, includes Why Data Management, The Big Picture: Integrating Data Management with Project Management, places data management activities into the larger context of the FWS mission, project management and provides guidance on determining which products should undergo data management.

The second section describes the Four Fundamental Activities of Data Management: Establish Roles and Responsibilities, Quality Management, Security and Preservation, and Documentation. A description of each activity and implementation guidance is given.

The remaining sections provide detailed guidance and best practices for each stages of the Data Management Lifecycle follow: PLAN, ACQUIRE, MAINTAIN, SHARE. A glossary is provided at the end to define data management-related terms used in this document. The Alaska Region Metadata Guide supplements this document by providing specific guidance for using mdEditor to write metadata. The mdEditor is a web-based application used to create archive-quality metadata for projects and products.

last update August 2022