The National Research Agency (ANR) has asked the Open Science Committee for its opinion and recommendations on the implementation of the Data Management Plan (DMP) for projects it funds from 2019 onwards. The request was processed by the “ PGD ” working group of the “ données ” college.

DMPs are essential tools for good data management. They make it possible to clarify the framework for data collection and organisation, but also for their access, sharing and future reuse, and thus to anticipate technical or legal problems. They are evolving during research projects.

In the June 2019 document, Data Management Plan – Recommendations to the ANR, the working group makes 15 recommendations and recommends a step-by-step approach that would encourage community buy-in and better adaptation to changing practices. This is to address the different levels of maturity of the scientific communities in data management and their possible fears about open science.

The first two recommendations are of a general nature. The first requires that the ANR specify, in a dedicated document, the key principles of its research data policy such as the drafting of a management plan, compliance with FAIR principles (Easy to find, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable), the deposit of data in “ dignes de confiance ” warehouses and the legal framework. The second is the choice of a model plan such as the one proposed by Science Europe.

Recommendations 3 to 8 relate to phasing and implementation steps, of which there are three:

• stimulate good data management practices,
• integrate open science and data management into the selection of research projects,
• encourage and monitor the opening of data.

Recommendation 9 concerns the support systems that must be based on those that exist at national or institutional level.

The 10 and 11 discuss the implementation of a monitoring system.

Recommendations 12, 13 and 14 aim to identify the costs associated with the proper management of research data.

The evaluation of data management plans is the subject of recommendation 15. It is based on the model of the commission’s management plan. It consists of indicating whether the information is correctly, partially or poorly described and making recommendations for each criterion.

Finally, the document provides a bibliography on models, recommendations and evaluation.

The translation of the document was provided by Jean-François Nominé of the translation department of the Inist-CNRS.