Data Management: Why a Node data management strategy

Data management activities already exist across roles and services. The question is whether they form a coherent strategy. This section explores why a coordinated approach matters, how it supports sustainable and FAIR practices, and how to reflect on alignment, priorities and responsibilities.

Status

in development

Time to complete

60 minutes

Primary audience

Node Coordinators, Data Stewards

Explain why a Node data management strategy is needed to support coordination, clarity and planning
Describe what a Node data management strategy includes and how it connects existing work
Identify how to start developing a strategy and which roles to involve

Developing a shared approach to data management is not always straightforward in a distributed environment like ELIXIR. Responsibilities are spread across roles, services and institutions. A Node data management strategy helps bring these elements together.

Why a NDMS matters

ELIXIR Nodes bring together many institutions, services and communities. Each group works with data in different ways. Without a shared direction, coordination becomes difficult. A Node data management strategy helps create this direction and provides clarity.

Direction and clarity: A strategy shows what the Node wants to achieve in data management. It shows how services fit together and where support is still needed.
Efficiency and shared understanding: It reduces duplication, improves communication and helps staff understand their roles.
Planning and sustainability: A strategy supports long-term planning. It helps the Node decide which services to maintain, where to invest effort and how to respond to new demands or opportunities.

Funders and national partners often expect this kind of clarity. A Node data management strategy provides it.

Note: Developing a Node data management strategy is not the responsibility of a single role. It requires input from coordination, data stewardship, technical teams and user-facing support to reflect the full data landscape.

What a NDMS is and does

Note: A Node data management strategy is not a complex policy document. It is a simple way to bring clarity to how data is managed across the Node or institution.

A Node data management strategy has a few key characteristics:

A short, practical document: A strategy outlines the main goals of the Node, the data landscape it serves and the principles that guide its work.
A way to connect existing information: It brings together content that often exists in many places. It does not replace policies, service descriptions or Data Management Plans. It connects them.
Services and roles: A strategy shows how the Node supports good data management and FAIR practices. It describes the main services, roles and communities involved.
A shared reference point: It gives staff a common view of the current situation and future direction.
A living document: The strategy is light and easy to update. It evolves as the Node grows, new roles appear or priorities shift. It is not a fixed plan.

Quick exercise: mapping your NDMS starting point

A Node data management strategy links existing work. Nodes often have policies, maturity assessments, training plans and service descriptions. The strategy brings these together and shows how each element contributes to the wider picture.

Before moving on, write this down. It will help you make the next steps more concrete.

Think about what already exists
Write down 3–5 items related to data management in your Node (e.g. policies, services, tools, training, agreements).
Group them
Which belong together? Are there overlaps or gaps?
Reflect
What feels clear and well connected? What feels fragmented or missing?

Tip: Compare your notes with a colleague. Do you see the same picture, or are there differences in perspective?

Quick reflection: risks without a strategy

Consider your current situation:

What risks could arise if your Node continues without a data management strategy?
Where could gaps or overlaps occur in services or support?
What might be unclear for staff or users?

Exercise: taking the first steps towards your NDMS

Using your notes, take the first steps towards developing a Node data management strategy.

Begin with what already exists Gather documents, notes or agreements related to data or services.
Which of these would you include in a first overview?
Form a small working group
Who would you involve to get started?
List 2–3 roles that should be part of an initial group.
Draft a short outline
Sketch a one-page outline of what your strategy could include.
What would be in scope, and what can wait?

Tip: Keep this lightweight. The goal is not to create a complete strategy, but to take a first step.

Who to involve

For a basic Node data management strategy, a small but diverse group is usually enough. Consider whether you have the following roles involved:

A Node coordinator to set direction and ensure alignment with national and ELIXIR priorities
A data steward or technical staff member with knowledge of standards, tools and workflows
A support or training staff member to represent user needs
A community representative to reflect the needs of researchers

Warning: If only one or two perspectives are represented, important aspects of the data landscape may be missed.

Examples from Nodes

Note: These examples are placeholders and reflect small, early steps taken by Nodes. They are intended to provide inspiration for now and will be replaced by separate real-world example pages for this module, developed with contributions from ELIXIR Nodes.

These are examples of small steps Nodes might have taken:

Making existing work visible

A Node listed its existing data-related services and documents. This helped identify overlaps and gaps in support.

Bringing people together

A Node used the idea of a shared approach to start a conversation between teams. This helped create a shared understanding of how work connects.

Starting discussions with a simple outline

A Node brought a rough outline to a meeting. This helped structure the discussion, align expectations and create something to refer to in later conversations.

Setting priorities

A Node created a simple overview of its activities to discuss which tools or services matter most. This helped focus effort and avoid doing everything at once.

Clarifying responsibilities

A Node wrote down who is responsible for which data-related services. This helped reduce confusion and made it easier for new staff to get started.

Create your own example

✍ For contributors: Choose one of the challenges above. Add your Node, name and role, and write a short story (max. 3 paragraphs): what was the situation, what did you do, and what did it help achieve. You can describe a small step or first attempt. A full strategy is not required.

Node: [Your Node name]
Contributor: [Name]
Role: [e.g. Data steward, Node coordinator]

✍ Your example:
Describe the situation you encountered and what you did to address it. What was the problem, and what did your action help improve?

Make sure your example relates to one of the topics from this module (the WHY of a Node data management strategy), such as coordination, clarity or planning.