Examples
Worked examples
- Is an instance
A JSON Schema validator returning errors against an RDA-CS-non-conformant DMP.
- Is an instance
A funder portal flagging a DMP that lacks a designated repository.
Counter-examples
Looks similar, but isn't
- Not an instance
A peer review of plan quality.
- Not an instance
A rubric-based assessment producing a numerical score.
Editorial commentary
A DMP compliance check is an automated or rules-based verification that a Data Management Plan (DMP) satisfies the structural and policy requirements of a specific funder, institution, or standard, typically returning a binary or itemised pass/fail result. Typical checks ask narrow, mechanical questions: does the plan nominate a repository? does it record a retention period for any dataset flagged as sensitive? does the underlying JSON actually validate against the RDA DMP Common Standard schema? Because these are structural questions rather than judgement calls, they can be automated and, for a machine-actionable DMP (maDMP), run continuously rather than only at the point of submission.
A research office most often meets compliance checks in two places: a funder portal that flags an incomplete DMP section before allowing submission, and an internal RDM system that periodically re-validates active plans against institutional policy (for example, confirming that any dataset newly marked as containing personal data now has a retention period attached). Neither replaces a human review — a plan can pass every structural check and still describe an unrealistic or poorly justified data-management strategy.
How it differs from adjacent DMP concepts
- vs. DMP assessment — assessment produces a graded, comparable score; a compliance check produces a pass/fail or itemised gap list against fixed requirements.
- vs. DMP review — review is qualitative and human; a compliance check is mechanical and can be fully automated.
References
- RDA DMP Common Standards Working Group validation reports; funder-specific compliance documentation.
Checking this against the current guidance
What triggers a DMP compliance check, and who receives the finding, differs by funder and by institution. The answer depends on which funder and institutional process you are working to,
and the page above states the general rule.
It answers with its sources linked, so you can open each one and check it yourself, and it says so when our sources don’t cover a question. Two questions a day are free while you are signed out, no
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Frequently asked questions
Is a DMP compliance check the same as an audit finding?
Not automatically — a compliance check is usually an internal or funder review against the plan’s own commitments, while an audit finding is a formal result of a Single Audit or agency audit; a compliance check can escalate into a finding if it goes unaddressed.
Who typically conducts a DMP compliance check?
Either the funder’s program office, the institution’s research-data-management office, or a designated data steward, depending on whether the check is funder-initiated or institution-initiated.
What happens after a DMP compliance check finds a gap?
Usually a corrective-action period is offered before any funding consequence, since most funders treat DMP compliance as something to bring into line rather than immediately penalize.
Also known as
DMP validation
Machine-readable encodings
Use in your systems
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