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Open Data Planning with OSS

Strategic Planning for Research Data Management and Sharing​

Effective open data planning maximizes research impact while ensuring compliance with funding requirements and institutional policies. Open Source with SLU collaborates with Principal Investigators and librarians to develop comprehensive data management strategies that support both immediate research needs and long-term data sharing objectives.

Our Planning Services​

Data Management Plan Development​

We help create detailed data management plans that satisfy funding agency requirements while establishing practical workflows for your research team. Our plans address data collection, storage, processing, analysis, and sharing throughout the entire research lifecycle, with specific attention to technical infrastructure and resource requirements.

Repository Selection and Setup​

Navigate the complex landscape of data repositories with expert guidance on selecting platforms that best serve your research domain, data types, and sharing requirements. We provide hands-on assistance with repository setup, metadata creation, and integration with existing research workflows.

Metadata Standards and Documentation​

Develop comprehensive metadata frameworks that make your research data discoverable, accessible, and reusable by other researchers. We help implement domain-specific metadata standards and create documentation templates that support both immediate research needs and long-term preservation.

Privacy and Security Assessment​

Address privacy, security, and ethical considerations in data sharing through comprehensive risk assessment and mitigation planning. Our consultations cover de-identification techniques, access control strategies, and compliance with institutional and regulatory requirements.

Technical Infrastructure Planning​

Design technical systems that support efficient data collection, processing, and sharing. We help evaluate storage solutions, backup strategies, access control systems, and integration approaches that align with your research timeline and budget constraints.

Collaborative Approach​

PI and Librarian Partnerships​

Our planning process brings together Principal Investigators' research expertise with librarians' data management knowledge and our technical implementation experience. This collaboration ensures that data management plans are both scientifically sound and practically implementable.

Cross-Departmental Coordination​

We facilitate coordination between research teams, library services, IT support, and compliance offices to ensure that data management approaches align with institutional policies and available resources.

Ongoing Support and Iteration​

Data management planning is an iterative process that evolves with your research. We provide ongoing consultation to adapt plans as research directions change, new technologies emerge, or funding requirements shift.

Key Focus Areas​

FAIR Data Principles Implementation​

Develop strategies to make your research data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. We help implement technical and organizational approaches that support FAIR principles while maintaining practical workflows for your research team.

Funding Agency Compliance​

Ensure your data management approaches satisfy requirements from NSF, NIH, DOE, and other funding agencies. We stay current with evolving policies and help translate requirements into actionable technical implementations.

Institutional Policy Alignment​

Navigate SLU's data management policies and available resources while maximizing opportunities for collaboration and resource sharing across the university community.

Long-term Sustainability​

Plan for long-term data preservation and access beyond the duration of individual research projects. We help identify sustainable repository solutions and develop strategies for ongoing data maintenance and curation.

Getting Started​

Begin your open data planning process by scheduling a consultation with our team. Contact oss@slu.edu to arrange an initial discussion that brings together your research team, relevant library staff, and our technical consultants.

Initial consultations typically involve a comprehensive review of your research data landscape, identification of sharing opportunities and constraints, and development of a preliminary action plan with specific next steps and resource requirements.

Resources and Training​

Beyond individual consultations, we offer workshops on data management best practices, repository usage, and technical implementation strategies. We also maintain connections with national data management initiatives and can facilitate access to specialized resources and expertise for complex data sharing challenges.