To contemplate how data should be managed early on, can save a lot of time and make the research process go smoother. 

• A Data Management Plan (DMP) will help you structure your thoughts regarding data management issues and the costs involved.
• How will you structure your data? How will you deal with versioning? Is there any specific software or tools that you will need, or that could facilitate your work during your project?
• Data that deals with personal information needs special consideration. If you deal with sensitive personal data you will need an ethics approval.
• Is there already data available that you can use for the whole, or parts of your project? This could include data that is collected/created by other researchers or open data from the public sector.
• How will you store the data during the project? Will the project generate sensitive data, such as personal data, that will require extra consideration?
• Try to estimate the costs involved, including software, storage, etc. Many of these costs can be included as part of the project budget
• In collaborative projects, how will you share the data during the project?
• If you're applying for funding, do the funder have specific requirements regarding data, regarding DMPs or sharing of data?