Balancing budgets and data needs

In addition to relationship building, effective data management requires careful planning of practical things like resources and costs. These should be approached collaboratively, considering the needs and constraints of all partners.

Examples of resource needs:

1. Technical infrastructure: Discuss and assess the hardware and software needed for data collection, analysis, storage, and sharing.
   • Examples: servers, storage devices, cloud services, or database applications.
2. Personnel and expertise: Identify who will be responsible for data-related tasks such as collection, cleaning, documentation, or dissemination.
   • Examples: community members, researchers, data managers, or external consultants.
3. Training and capacity building: Provide training for community members and researchers to strengthen their skills in data stewardship.
   • Topics might include data quality, ethical principles, and best practices tailored to the project.
4. Access and sharing services: Plan for how data will be made accessible and usable for both researchers and the community.
   • Examples: subscriptions to data repositories or platforms that facilitate sharing and reuse. More on this in later in our chapter on Data Deposit!
5. Collaborative cost planning: Estimate costs together, being mindful of both the immediate needs of the project and long-term sustainability.
   • Consider incorporating budget items for capacity-building initiatives, infrastructure development, or community engagement activities.