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DMPonline User Group Updates - September Session Recap and What's Ahead

Magdalena Drafiova | 10 October 2024

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Hello! After a much-needed summer break, the DMPonline user group sessions have resumed. Our September gathering was packed with insights and updates on the numerous improvements and features we worked on over the summer. Here's a summary of the key points discussed, including our latest developments and what to expect shortly.

1. Exciting Developments and Integration Efforts: 

  • DOI Integration and OpenGraph Search API: We've introduced a new feature that incorporates DOIs into our research outputs, enhancing discoverability through the integration with the OpenGraph Search API. This development moves towards making features more machine-actionable, fostering greater efficiency. 
  • ROR Registry Prototype: We are integrating with the ROR registry, with a prototype expected by the end of the current sprint. We aim to have a fully tested and deployed feature by the end of November. 
  • API Development: Our development team is tirelessly working on API v2, which aims to merge the capabilities of our earlier APIs. The current development sprint concludes on September 30, 2024, setting the stage for continued enhancements. 

2. Enhancements to Plan Management: 

  • Uneditable Plan IDs: To reduce confusion and enhance data integrity, we plan to implement system-assigned, uneditable Plan IDs for projects while providing an additional editable ID field that institutions can customise. 

3. Certificate Transition: 

  • Switch to Sectigo SSL Certificates: This summer, we transitioned from Let's Encrypt to Sectigo certificates, which require annual updates. There's a potential shift towards tri-annual updates, and we already informed all clients accordingly, as there is an option to reduce this to annual maintenance. 
  • New URL Structure: For enhanced clients, we are moving towards a 'wildcard' URL configuration (e.g., org.dmponline.dcc.ac.uk) to streamline management and security updates and reduce the number of times this has to be updated by the organisations.  

4. Data Management Template Enhancements: 

  • DCC Template Revision: We've proposed significant DCC data management template enhancements. Our DCC colleagues Joy Davidson and Laurence Horton gave the initial feedback. These include standardising project details pages, using ISO date formats, and having more detailed sections on research domains, ethics, and funding, like grant numbers and URLs. 
  • Contributors Tab: Enhancements here will allow users to add collaborators by their ORCiD numbers, facilitating better credit attribution and tracking.
  • New Assessment Tabs: We're considering adding specific tabs for ethics and digital protection impact assessments, although we are mindful that the interface could become overcrowded.
  • Template Question Revisions: We are proposing new questions about research software and data collection methods aimed at enhancing reproducibility, a crucial aspect of research outputs.

5. Funder Template Updates: 

  • UKRI and Beyond: We've modified templates specifically based on feedback and requirements from funders like the UKRI. Introducing two-phase DMPs (initial and detailed) is one update that responds directly to funder requirements.

6. Next steps

We are planning to seek your feedback over the next couple of weeks and will use it, along with input from our colleagues, to refine and publish the updated DCC template. Moreover, we will be progressively rolling out updated UKRI funder templates in our tool to ensure we remain current with the latest standards and requirements. 

7. Looking Ahead: 

The upcoming DMPonline user group meeting, scheduled for December 3, 2024, will be a pivotal discussion on setting new development priorities for the 2024-2025 period. We extend an open invitation to all users to join us in shaping the future of DMPonline. 

We are grateful for the engagement and feedback from the DMPonline community, which continually drives our improvements. We are looking forward to seeing you at our next gathering and hearing your thoughts on how we can further enhance our service. 

We are committed to continuously improving DMPonline, and your engagement and feedback are invaluable in this journey. We look forward to sharing more updates with you and encourage you to reach out if you have any questions or suggestions. 

Recording

Missed the event? Check out the recording below or on our YouTube channel.