Why Data Planning?

Benefits of data management planning

Researchers collect data with some investigation goal in mind. It might be a population survey or perhaps an experiment to test the effects of changing a parameter. Planning for how the data will be obtained, what it will look like, and where the data will be stored begins early in the project lifecycle and should consider data needs. It does not take much time and can pay dividends in the long run. The final product – discoverable, accessible, documented, and secure data – is a result of effective data planning.

What is a data management plan?

The data management plan (DMP) is a living document that serves as an easy-to-follow roadmap that covers collection, organization, use, storage, contextualization, preservation, and sharing of research data, as well as identifying responsibilities and required resources. It is the primary communication tool between the project staff and the data manager or data custodian. The goal of a DMP is to consider and document the proposed process of data handling over the course of the data management lifecycle.

When do I need a DMP?

The data management policy (274 FW 1) specifies that all data "created, acquired, or distributed, by or for the Service, in any medium or form" after October 1, 2020 must fall under a data management plan. This encompasses financial, personnel, property, safety management, award, other administrative records, and scientific/research data, including data collected through MOU, cooperative agreements, or contracts. This requirement does not extend to data generated through Service grants or certain financial assistance awards when we do not otherwise have reason or authority to obtain data produced through these awards.

Planning requirements

Per the Service’s data management policy, employees must ensure that data fall under a data management plan. Section 1.9A lists the following minimum elements that must be addressed in a DMP:

1. The type(s) of data to be collected (See Data Types)

2. The Data Trustee, Steward, Custodian, and Producer (See Establish Roles and Responsibilities)

3. The Board-approved repository where the data will be stored (See Archive)

4. Any special access or use restrictions that might apply (See Access & Share)

5. Resources needed to maintain, store, and access the data throughout its lifecycle (See Maintain?)

6. Metadata standards that will be used to describe the data (See Initiate Metadata)

7. Records schedule and disposition (See Records Management)

8. Instructions on how to access the data (See Access & Share)

9. Quality assurance and quality control processes that will be applied to the data (See QA/QC)

10. The frequency with which the data and metadata will be reviewed and updated (See Maintain)

There are a few DMP templates available to help Alaska Region staff create plans that meet all Service requirements.

Planning metadata

The planning phase is the ideal time to initiate metadata for your project and proposed data products. Metadata - or data about data - is crucial for making sure your data is documented, findable, and reusable.

Metadata is officially defined as "structural or descriptive information about data such as content, format, source, rights, accuracy, provenance, frequency, periodicity, granularity, contact information, publisher or responsible party, method of collection, and other descriptions" (44 U.S.C 3502). It provides critical information, such as data content and quality, points of contact, where the data are stored, and use limitations and restrictions among other things. Posting metadata to metadata catalogs (e.g., data.gov) allows other users to search for datasets.

The first step to initiating metadata for projects and products is to choose an applicable metadata standard. The metadata standard you choose will depend on what type of data you are describing and what data repository you will be using. For example, geospatial data must be described with Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant metadata (i.e. FGDC CSDGM, ISO 191xx series). Regardless of the standard used, the data management policy requires that metadata be: (a) created in a machine-readable and open format, (b) adequately described, (c) updated throughout the lifecycle of the data, and (d) preserved alongside the data.

The Alaska Region has developed a metadata standard checklist that staff can refer to in order to meet minimum content requirements.

For non-geospatial metadata, the Alaska Region data management staff recommend using the mdJSON standard, which can be created using mdEditor. Guidance on using mdEditor can be found in the Alaska Region Metadata Guide.

Updated July 2022