Want to learn about how technological advancements in data management plans can benefit research at your university? Have you heard the term “machine actionable” but aren’t sure what it is or why it’s important? Are you looking for strategies to reduce burden on researchers and administrators in working on data management plans? Perhaps you already know about machine-actionable data-management plans (maDMPs) and are hoping for more detailed information about how to explore implementation at your institution?
You can find the outcomes from the pilot in the resources below. More information about the pilot.
Introduction Video
MAP Pilot Report
For complete information about the pilot’s background, an introduction to DMPs and the DMP Tool development, and an overview of pilot activities, observations, and key recommendations, download the MAP Pilot Report.
Case Studies
Read case studies from each of our pilot partner institutions, and find out about their project focus, activities, learnings, and recommendations.
Key Recommendations
Follow the link to find guides for different stakeholders at your institution.
Webinar Series
Want to learn about how technological advancements in data management plans can benefit research at your university? Have you heard the term “machine actionable” a lot but aren’t sure what it is or why it’s important? Are you looking for strategies to reduce burden on researchers and administrators in working on data management plans? Watch our webinar series to learn from several US institutions that explored and piloted machine-actionable approaches to data management plans (DMPs). Learn more and watch.
Blogs Posts, Presentations, and Project Updates
Partner Institution Report
A. Johnson, T. Lindquist, M. Murray, A. Ranganath, L. Freeborn, S. Knuth, B. Schnell, S. O. Klopsch, V. Sabeti, J. Wittenberg, D. Lindholm, K. Regan, D. Elsborg, and A. Viggio, “University of Colorado Boulder—Machine Actionable Plans (MAP) Pilot Project Report,” University of Colorado Boulder, 2025, https://doi.org/10.25810/TKNV-JT07.
Conference Materials
“Piloting maDMPs for Streamlined Research Data Management Workflows,” (presentation at the 19th edition of the International Digital Curation Conference, The Hague, February 19, 2025), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14969693.
Site Visit Blog Posts
“Insights from Arizona State University: Advancing Research Support Through Open Science, Data Sovereignty, and Machine-Actionable Plans,” ARL Views, January 9, 2025.
“UC Riverside Machine Actionable Plans (MAP) Team Builds Promising Communication Prototype,” ARL Views, January 8, 2025.
“ARL/CDL Machine Actionable Plans (MAP) Pilot Team Visits University of Colorado Boulder,” ARL Views, November 26, 2024.
“Machine Actionable Plans (MAP) Pilot Team Visits Penn State University,” ARL Views, October 24, 2024.
“ARL and California Digital Library Kick Off Machine Actionable Plans (MAP) Pilot Site Visits at Northwestern University,” ARL Views, October 18, 2024.
Technical Updates from CDL
“Progress Update: Matching Related Works to Data Management Plans,” DMP Tool Blog, December 20, 2024.
“Behind the Scenes: Insights from User Testing the new DMP Tool Designs,” DMP Tool Blog, October 30, 2024.
“Announcing the DMP Tool Rebuild,” DMP Tool Blog, October 23, 2024.
Other Project Updates
“Connecting DMSPs to Research Outputs,” University of California Curation Center (UC3) blog, April 26, 2024.
“Association of Research Libraries and California Digital Library Receive Grant to Advance Data Management and Sharing,” ARL News (news release), August 4, 2023.
Recruitment webinar for pilot institutions with project details—“Harnessing the Power of maDMSPs: Where Are We Now and Piloting the Future,” November 2, 2023.
Call for Institutions to Pilot Development of Scalable Data-Management Infrastructure (October 2–November 10, 2023). Expressions of Interest are now closed.
Research Team
- Maria Praetzellis, Associate Director, California Digital Library, PI
- John Chodacki, Director, University of California Curation Center (UC3), California Digital Library
- Becky Grady, Senior Product Manager for Data Management Planning, California Digital Library
- Cynthia Hudson Vitale, Association of Research Libraries
- Judy Ruttenberg, Senior Director of Scholarship & Policy, Association of Research Libraries
Pilot Institutions
The MAP Pilot institutions will help shape the development of maDMSPs and gain valuable early experience with new approaches to enable more automated and connected research data management. The institutions and select project briefs are listed below.
- Arizona State University
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (project brief)
- Pennsylvania State University
- University of California, Riverside (project brief)
- University of Colorado, Boulder
The following institutions will also collaborate on the project as extended pilot members:
- New York University Langone Health
- Stanford University
- University of California, Berkeley (project brief)
- University of California, San Diego
- University of California, Santa Barbara
Funding
This project is funded by a National Leadership Grant from the US Institute of Museum and Library Services, LG-254861-OLS-23.
About the Machine Actionable Plans (MAP) Pilot
The California Digital Library (CDL) and ARL partnered on a two-year pilot program to address the urgent needs of academic and research libraries to meet increasing requirements for sharing research data. Funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS LG-254861-OLS-23), the project piloted a range of strategies, including technical integrations, automation, and cross-departmental collaboration, to connect data management plans with existing research and IT systems and strengthen research support.
The pilot worked directly with ten institutions, providing the opportunity to take the infrastructure built by the DMP Tool and implement pilot machine-actionable approaches in alignment with their organization’s goals. Each institution designed its projects with consideration given to local data management challenges and opportunities. Some focused on technical developments using API integrations, including automation and tool development, while others focused on collaboration and relationship-building across departments in support of research data management. Partners found value not only in progressing pilots at their institutions but also in sharing learnings and outcomes across institutions, thereby deepening insight into common challenges and opportunities, and expanding collaborative relationships.
