Information Integration for Machine Actionable Data Management Plans

Abstract

Data management plans are free-form text documents describing the data used and produced in scientific experiments. The complexity of data-driven experiments requires precise descriptions of tools and datasets used in computations to enable their reproducibility and reuse. Data management plans fall short of these requirements. In this paper, we propose machine-actionable data management plans that cover the same themes as standard data management plans, but particular sections are filled with information obtained from existing tools. We present mapping of tools from the domains of digital preservation, reproducible research, open science, and data repositories to data management plan sections. Thus, we identify the requirements for a good solution and identify its limitations. We also propose a machine-actionable data model that enables information integration. The model uses ontologies and is based on existing standards.

Ten principles for machine-actionable data management plans

“…Finally, there will be still questions that can only be answered by humans, e.g., about ethical issues [15]. In such cases, an informed guess can cause more problems than solve.…”

Application Profile for Machine-Actionable Data Management Plans

“…While the processes help individual organisations to streamline the discussion on machineactionable DMPs, we also developed 10 principles for machine-actionable DMPs that call for coordinated effort within the broad research data management community (Miksa, Simms, Mietchen and Jones [2019]). The principles "contain specific actions that various stakeholders are already undertaking or should undertake in order to work together across research communities to achieve the larger aims of the principles themselves" (Miksa, Simms, Mietchen and Jones [2019]). The principles also "describe existing initiatives to highlight how much progress has already been made toward achieving the goals of maDMPs as well as a call to action for those who wish to get involved" (Miksa, Simms, Mietchen and Jones [2019]).…”

“…Data Management Plans (DMPs) are documents that accompany research proposals and project outputs. "They describe the data that is used and produced during the course of research activities, where the data will be archived, which licenses and constraints apply, and to whom credit should be given" (Miksa, Simms, Mietchen and Jones [2019]). The existing practice of writing DMPs is primarily driven by research funders who consider DMPs not only to be planning, but also a steering and evaluation tool.…”

“…Community needs that led to establishing this working group are described in the paper by Simms et al [2017]. An initial model for maDMPs and its mapping to tools and standards was presented in Miksa et al [2017] and was used to kick-off developments by the group.…”

Gestión de datos de investigación y bibliotecas: preservando los nuevos bienes científicos

“…Los PGDs son requeridos por una gran parte de las agencias de financiamiento y cada vez hay más iniciativas para mejorar su legibilidad por máquinas, de forma que los investigadores solo deban completar un mínimo de preguntas y el resto de la información sea recuperada de otras infraestructuras (p.ej. repositorio, bancos de publicaciones o ORCID) (Miksa, Simms, Mietchen y Jones, 2019;Miksa, Rauber, Ganguly y Budroni, 2017).…”