Repurposing data

The output of one research project may very well be the input of another. Data which is well managed and shared has a great potential to see re-use, re-discovery, or re-purposing. Because your data may be long-lived, it is important to plan for the continuing cycles which will support your data.

Plan for it!

A data management plan must include provisions for succession planning. This statement should include the transfer of responsibility, indication for duration of storage, and long-term curation concerns.

Succession Planning:

A Data Management Plan should include a statement which addresses the transfer of responsibility of data to be managed for the long term. In most cases data management is the responsibility of the Principle Investigator. Principle Investigators are advised to manage data for three years after the completion of a research project. A Data Management Plan should indicate if this is NOT the case for your research project. Such a statement should also include a suggested duration for preservation (e.g. "in perpetuity", "up to thirty years").