RDM Planning


How do I make a Data Management Plan?

Portage, a CARL initiative for data stewardship in Canada, provides a simple walk through Data Management Plan tool:  

  1. Sign up and select a template. The University of Winnipeg is not currently a partner of the program, but you are still able to use the generic option ("Portage") provided.
  2. Answer the questions: You will have to answer important questions about your research process. Not all questions will apply to all research.
  3. Revise as needed. Guidance and examples are provided. You are encouraged to revisit the tool throughout your research process.
  4. Export and print. The assistant can export in a variety of formats, for inclusion in your funding application.

What questions should I think about for my RDM Plan?

The DMP Assistant will ask you questions about the following areas of your research plan, so think them through in advance:

Data Collection

What types of data will you be creating or collecting, in what formats, and how will you structure, name, and version control your files?

Documentation and Metadata

What do you need to do to make your data 'independently understandable' - how will you document and describe the data in meaningful ways? (See RDM Documentation & Storage)

Storage and Backup

What are your anticipated storage space needs, and how and where will your data be stored and backed up? Do you have collaboration needs? How will access and security be handled? (See RDM Documentation & Storage)


What data should be deposited for long-term access, and where will you store your data? How will you ensure your data is preservation ready? (See RDM Sharing & Preservation)

Sharing and Reuse

What data will you be sharing and in what form? How will the research community know your data exists? (See RDM Sharing & Preservation)

Responsibilities and Resources

Who will be responsible for managing the data? How will personnel changes be dealt with? Have you covered the costs of your data management?

Ethics and Legal Compliance

How will you ensure sensitive data is securely managed? How will you manage legal, ethical, and intellectual property issues?

Which Tri-Agency Requirements do I need to be aware of for Data Management Plans?

Grants funded by any of the Tri-agency bodies (SSHRC, NSERC, and CIHR) need to follow the appropriate policies. If you are submitting an application for any of these grants, having a DMP will be a strong asset, if not a requirement.

New DRAFT Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy (For Consultation) 

Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research

Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans

Tri-Agency Statement of Principles on Digital Data Management 

...And, of course, your individual grant requirements.


Am I required to deposit my data?

Unless required by a specific grant, you are not currently required to deposit your data. However, consideration of this should be reflected in your DMP, and you still need to address how and where your data will be stored.


Deposit requirements do not mean the data have to be open to the public to view. Any recommended repository (see RDM Sharing and Preservation) will allow for 'dark' deposit.