During the Project

Working with data in a structured way may both facilitate the process during the project, and archiving, as well as potentially making the data available later.

• Is the data management plan possible to follow through? If not, see if adjustments can be made so that it works as a support tool throughout the project.
• During the project, personal information needs to be managed according to current regulations. For example, this can involve requirements to keep data safe or to encrypt information.
• Which software is currently used? How persistent is the file format? Depending on the program and technique used, you need to take into account the potential usability of the material in the future.
• As datasets are generated, organising them in a well-structured way is vital to make them comprehensible to yourself and to others.
• Publication strategies may change during the course of the project. For instance, you may find that you want to build a database or publish data open access. In such a case, the original cost calculations may need adjusting.
• Regardless of what should be archived when the project is finished, it might be beneficial to make data openly accessible during the project. Opting to share data in this way, provides an opportunity to share living data with other researchers, before it is finished, or is in the form of a publication, and get feedback.
• To make your data understandable and reusable, it is important to describe it thoroughly in a structured manner, where the metadata to the greatest extent is based on recognised standards.