DMPonline - Streamlining Data Management Planning

How DMPonline was used for the MRC Human Genetic Unit 5-year review

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DMPonline is a tool that lets you create, review and share data management plans in line with approved institutional or funder specific templates. It proved to be a key tool in the MRC Human Genetics Unit quinquennial review in 2022. Dr Alison Meynert, bioinformatician at the research institute, explains the process further:

The MRC Human Genetics Unit (HGU) recently underwent its 5 year (quinquennial, QQ) review process with the Medical Research Council. Principal investigators (PIs) who were applying to lead research programmes in the next QQ period were required to complete data management plans for their research programmes using the standard MRC template.

This template is available in DMPonline. The Institute of Genetics and Cancer Research Data Manager (the MRC HGU is a part of the IGC) created blank Data Management Plans (DMPs) for each of the 18 PIs using the template and assigned each PI as an editor for their own copy. The Research Data Manager also added standard text to each DMP regarding typical HGU usage of Datastore, Eddie, and deposition in common repositories such as the NCBI Sequence Read Archive and the European Genome/Phenome Archive.

DMPonline has funder-specific templates with tailored guidance and advice for each section.


PIs were encouraged to edit their DMPs directly within the DMPonline web interface, and to submit them to the Research Data Manager and the HGU Research Manager for review. This worked for the majority, but for a few PIs there were repeated issues. For these cases, the Research Data Manager exported MS Word copies of the draft DMPs and revisions were sent back via email.

Collecting all of the DMPs at the end of this process was simplified for the HGU Research Manager who had direct access to all of the documents via DMPonline.



You can request feedback on your data management plan once you have got a draft.

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This case study was written by Dr Alison Meynert, Senior Research Fellow and IGC Bioinformatics Analysis Core Manager. New funding after the QQ review started in April 2023.

Adaptations to the website were performed by Dr Sarah Janac, Research Facilitator for the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine.


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