Planning and documentation of data

Planning research data involves questions about how research data should be generated, organized, documented, secured, made accessible and archived during and after the project. For example, data types, formats, storage, access authorizations and responsibilities are important in order to ensure the quality and reusability of the data.

For this purpose, research funders are increasingly demanding a data management plan (DMP) ( requirements and sample DMP).

The  RDM team will be happy to support you in all matters relating to the planning and management of research data for your project or working group.

Documenting research data is an essential process that goes far beyond simply labeling files. At its core, it is about describing the data in such a way that it can be found, understood, reused and validated in future studies and by other researchers.

To achieve this, good documentation practices are guided by the  FAIR principles:

i.e. data should be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable.

In biological research, for example, the following data is involved:

• Documentation of laboratory samples, materials, equipment settings, protocols, etc.
• Raw data, e.g. image data, gene expression data, sequence data, FC data, MS data or measurement data
• Analyzed data, e.g. processed images, tables, graphics or statistical evaluations

DFG (as of 01.06.2025)

Requirement: Information on the handling of research data in the overall proposal

Content: See  checklist for handling research data (PDF)

Updating required during the course of the project: No

BMBF (as of 01.06.2025)

Requirement: Depending on the program
Content: Depends on the program; see also   VerbundFDB support
Update required during the course of the project: Depends on the program

European Commission (as of 01.06.2025)

Requirement: A short concept for handling research data is usually sufficient for the application; a detailed DMP must usually be submitted after six months of funding.
Content: See Horizon Europe DMP template (or templates under  Funding & Tenders Portal)
Update required during the course of the project: In the event of significant changes and at the end of the project

 HORIZON Program Guide

Volkswagen Foundation (as of 01.06.2025)

Requirement: If large amounts of data are generated, a DMP is expected as an application attachment.
Content:  Basic DMP Volkswagen Foundation or DMP of the target repository
Update required in the course of the project: No