Because good research needs good data

DMPonline research outputs feature is live

Diana Sisu | 21 July 2023

The DMPonline machine-actionable research outputs feature allows researchers to add details about research outputs associated with a project, to their data management plans (DMPs).  Examples of information include what type of data they produce, repositories where they intend to deposit the data, and metadata standards and licences. The feature is modelled after the Research Data Alliance Common Standards for Machine-actionable Data Management Plans (maDMPs) maintenance plan.

What has changed

Users can now add information on project data outputs via the Research Outputs tab within the data management plan screen.

Data Management Plan with research output

The following are machine actionable fields that allow information about data to be communicated across stakeholders as follows: 

In addition, the following fields adhere to recommended common standards: 

Selecting desired options is done via filtered searches.

selecting_repository_search.png

selecting_repository_search_return.png

Not all fields in a research outputs form have to be completed at once. Users can return to update the information or even remove an entry if the project outputs have changed.

completed_research_outputs.png

An additional benefit is that organisations can now build statistics about research outputs via API version 1. 

api_v1_research_outputs.png

We are thankful to our user group who provide ongoing support and helpful feedback, some of which contributed to the build of the research outputs feature. Here are a few suggestions from our user group meeting on 15 November 2022: Suggestions included: 

  • Help information for users on how to fill in research outputs and what is the benefit of filling in this information to be displayed at the side of the page, the same way as guidance. Currently we provide brief instructions on the Help page.
  • Additional contextual information to explain whether it is mandatory or optional to fill in this information and when it should be done. At the moment, we have included brief information at the top of the Research Outputs tab.
  • General improvements to the user interface, for example, adding on screen instructions to help users apply the various filters, and making various buttons more obvious.

If you have questions or suggestions on how the new feature can be improved, please email the DMPonline helpdesk at dmponline@dcc.ac.uk.

Useful links

DMPonline User Group meeting, 15 November 2022, A video recording of the meeting is available online and you can watch a quick demo as well as the discussion about the research outputs feature starting at minute 37 [Link https://youtu.be/D4O7C0FvMDA?t=2220

RDA DMP Common Standard for Machine-actionable Data Management Plans, full specification https://github.com/RDA-DMP-Common/RDA-DMP-Common-Standard   

DataCite Metadata Working Group. (2017). DataCite Metadata Schema Documentation for the 

Publication and Citation of Research Data. Version 4.1. DataCite e.V. 10.5438/0014, https://schema.datacite.org/meta/kernel-4.1/doc/DataCite-MetadataKernel_v4.1.pdf