Roles and responsibilities
Data management is not just the responsibility of the researcher who has created or collected the data. Various parties are involved in the research process and may play a role in ensuring good quality data, safeguarding them and facilitating data sharing. It is crucial that roles and responsibilities are assigned and not just presumed. For collaborative research, assigning roles and responsibilities across partners is important.
People involved in data management and sharing can include:
- the project director designing and overseeing the research
- research staff designing research, collecting, processing and analysing data
- laboratory or technical staff generating metadata and documentation
- a database designer
- external contractors involved in data collection, data entry, transcribing, processing or analysis
- support staff managing and administering research and research funding, providing ethical review and assessing Intellectual Property rights
- institutional IT services staff providing data storage, security and backup services
- external data centres or web archives that facilitate data sharing
You should also consider whether any particular training may be needed for any staff involved. Your institution or specialist organisations may coordinate or provide training in various aspects of research data management.
Research centres and large-scale projects can also consider how best to support researchers through a framework of shared best practices, guidance and policies.
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