Research Data Management is not the sole responsibility of the researcher who creates the data. When creating your research data, its important that relevant roles and responsibilities are documented, not just casually assumed.

The UK Data Archive lists the people who may be involved in data management:

• principal investigators designing research
• research staff or students collecting, creating, processing and analysing data
• external contractors with a role in data collection, collation or processing, e.g. transcribers
• support staff managing and administering research
• institutional IT services providing data storage, security and back-up services
• external data centres or archives who facilitate data sharing

It is important to consider the roles and responsibilities of those involved within a research project early in the process. Preferably, roles should be assigned during the data planning stage and be present in the Data Management Plan.

Additional Resources

• DCC: Roles and responsibilities