In the previous section, you reflected on why a Node data management strategy matters and what already exists in your Node. The next step is to take a closer look at your context and organise this information.
You can use the Node examples page for inspiration while working through this chapter. The examples show how different Nodes explored their context and organised their first steps in practice.
Why the Node context matters
A data management strategy must reflect the real situation of the Node. Each Node brings together different institutions, services, research communities, projects and national initiatives. These may have their own priorities, responsibilities, resources and ways of working. Without a basic understanding of this landscape, it becomes difficult to set priorities, define a realistic scope or identify where coordination at Node level can add value.
Much of the relevant work may already exist, but it can be spread across organisations, projects or teams and may not be visible to everyone. Understanding the Node context helps identify existing expertise, services and connections before deciding that something new is needed.
A Node strategy should complement institutional, project-level and national approaches rather than replace them. The aim is not to make every organisation work in the same way, but to identify shared goals, useful connections, dependencies and areas where greater clarity or coordination is needed.
A strategy also depends on people. No single person can see the whole picture. A small group with different perspectives helps ensure that the strategy reflects both the overall direction of the Node and how data management, services and support work in practice.
Related examples ELIXIR Germany on fitting the strategy to a distributed Node and ELIXIR Netherlands on bringing together Node and institutional perspectives.
You do not need a complete or final overview. A simple, shared understanding is enough to get started and can be refined as roles, services and priorities change.
Building a context overview
Start by building a simple overview of your Node context. You do not need great detail at this stage. Focus on the elements that shape how data is managed in practice and on what may be relevant for coordination at Node level.
Use these questions to guide your first overview.
| Area | Questions to guide you | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Governance and responsibilities | Who makes decisions about data management? Where are these discussed or approved? Which responsibilities sit at Node, institutional, project or service level? | Decisions made by the Node coordinator and steering group, with services managed by partner institutions |
| Data and research landscape | Which research domains, communities, data types and workflows are present? Are there important differences between institutions or groups? | Life sciences and clinical data managed through different institutional workflows |
| Services, tools and expertise | Which services, tools, training activities and areas of expertise already exist or are being developed? Who provides, uses and maintains them? | Repository, helpdesk, training programme and expertise in Data Management Plans |
| Connections and dependencies | How do services, teams and activities relate to each other? Where do they depend on one another or contribute to shared goals? | Two teams with different remits jointly supporting parts of the research data lifecycle |
| Policies, standards and wider initiatives | Which institutional, national, funder or ELIXIR policies, standards, strategies and initiatives are relevant? | FAIR principles, national guidelines and the Node Service Delivery Plan |
| Needs and gaps | Which questions, support needs or training needs occur across the Node? Where is awareness limited or support difficult to find? | Different levels of awareness and demand for basic and advanced RDM training |
| Sustainability | How are activities funded, staffed and maintained? What is stable, changing or uncertain? | Project funding, limited staff continuity or unclear long-term ownership |
Related examples
ELIXIR Spain on understanding the Node RDM landscape and needs and ELIXIR Sweden on mapping the data service landscape.
Use what already exists. Strategies, Service Delivery Plans, surveys, service lists, maturity assessments and earlier mappings can all provide a starting point. The overview does not need to be created from scratch.
Quick reflection: connections and gaps
Using the areas above, make a rough overview of your current Node context.
As a starting point, reflect on:
- What already seems strong or well organised?
- Which activities, services or people are already connected?
- Where do activities overlap, and is this overlap useful or unnecessary?
- What exists but is difficult to find, insufficiently connected or unclear in ownership?
- Where are there genuine gaps in expertise, services, support or coordination?
- Are there important differences between institutions, communities or user groups?
Before describing something as a gap, check whether the activity or expertise may already exist elsewhere in the Node. Keep your notes short and practical. The goal is not completeness, but a shared understanding of what is connected, unclear or missing.
Related examples
ELIXIR Germany on linking Node strategy, services and activities and ELIXIR Sweden on mapping the data service landscape.
Do not assume that something is missing simply because it is not yet visible. Check whether the activity, service or expertise already exists elsewhere in the Node.
Building the initial team
Once you have a basic understanding of your Node context, bring together a small group to take the work forward. Use your context overview to identify which perspectives are needed at the start.
Begin with two or three people. They do not need to represent the whole Node or form the final working group. They should be able to compare different views of the Node, identify initial priorities and recognise who else needs to be involved.
Depending on your context, useful perspectives may include:
- Node coordination, to connect the work with the overall direction and priorities of the Node
- Data stewardship or data management, to understand current practices, needs and responsibilities
- Services, infrastructure or technical expertise, to connect the strategy with practical activities and dependencies
- Training or support, to bring recurring questions and user needs into the discussion
- Institutions or research communities, to understand how Node activities are experienced in practice
- National or ELIXIR initiatives, where wider connections affect the strategy
You do not need all these perspectives in the initial group. Note who is essential now, who should be consulted and who may become involved later.
Related examples
ELIXIR Netherlands on bringing together Node and institutional perspectives and ELIXIR Netherlands on using an initial meeting to identify priorities.
Focus on the perspectives, knowledge and connections people bring rather than formal roles. A small group can begin the work and help identify who else should contribute.
Quick exercise: planning how to work together
List the people who may contribute to developing your Node data management strategy.
For each person or role, mark whether they are:
- Essential now
- Useful to consult
- Useful later
Then agree on a practical way to begin.
- Plan the initial meeting
Draft a simple agenda and choose two or three questions to discuss. For example:- What are our main priorities?
- Where can coordination at Node level add value?
- What should our first practical step be?
-
Choose a realistic first output
This could be a short summary, an action plan, a first context overview or a list of questions that need further input. The initial meeting does not need to produce a complete strategy. - Agree how you will continue
Decide:- who will document the discussion and take the next step
- how decisions will be made
- where documents and actions will be recorded
- when the group will meet or review progress again
- Offer different ways to contribute
Consider how people who are not part of the initial group can provide input, for example through comments in a document, an existing meeting, a survey or a separate discussion.
Related examples
ELIXIR Netherlands on using an initial meeting to identify priorities and ELIXIR Netherlands on finding practical ways to keep people involved.
Keep the first step manageable. Use existing meetings, documents and working tools where possible, and agree who will turn the discussion into a practical next action.
What’s next
You now have a first overview of your Node context, the main connections and gaps, and the people who can help take the work forward. These provide a practical foundation for deciding what the Node data management strategy should cover.
In the next section, you will identify the main areas to include in the strategy and begin structuring its content.
Keep your context overview and first working arrangements available for the next chapter. They are working documents that can be refined as you make choices about the strategy and involve more people.
Related pages
Real world example
Node examples for chapter 2 on understanding your Node context