12 Steps to creating a Data Sharing Policy

The Omics data sharing publication that gave rise to this BioSharing website reviewed the data policies of a range of major funders. It also outlined some of the aspects of best practice that were used in the development of those policies. Specifically, a checklist of steps for developing data sharing policies was presented in supplementary information.

These steps are presented again below to put them fully in the public domain (the paper is free at Science but this list is in the Supplementary Online Materials Section). They are general guidelines but passing through these explicit stages makes sure a new policy is based on consensus and meets the needs of the community it is set to serve.

The final result will be a consensus-driven short document, developed by an appropriate policy working group, ready for circulation and posting to an official website for reference. Like all policies, it should be open to challenge and improvement over time especially as technologies that underpin data sharing shift and change.


How does one create a data sharing policy in practice?


Below is a 12‐step checklist outlining the process by which data sharing policies are generated in practice. This checklist is suitable for the development of policy at all levels but is based on experiences gained by major funders of 'omics research (See Supplementary Online Material Box 1 of Field et al, 2009).

The list of policies from which this checklist is derived is found here: data policies

While policies are most often generated by funding agencies, it is good practice for institutions and large consortia to also create explicit data sharing policies. Most policies are only a few pages long, and some of the best are only 1 page - any more detailed information should be contained in a larger 'information guidebook' or other documentation.

The data policy should put into words the general rules of engagement surrounding the data being generated and used and provide explicit expectations for all parties involved.


A 12-Step Checklist for Developing a New Data Policy

1. Identify science driver(s) necessitating a formal data policy for a particular research community

2. Create a working body to bring the data policy to fruition

3. Conduct an initial poll of researcher and funder priorities with respect to data policy development (i.e., confirm the relative importance of data management compared to sharing)

4. Identify the full range of stakeholders

5. Research current policies and draw from them and the literature

6. Draft a straw man document and define key aspects of the policy:

* scope of policy (data types covered, appropriate standards and repositories)

* applicability (which data falls under the policy), rules of data sharing, compliance to standards, submission to appropriate repositories

* funding levels to support implementation and compliance and the consequences of noncompliance

7. Subject straw man to internal and then external round(s) of consultation followed by iterative improvement

8. Obtain formal sign‐off or endorsement by the organization of a final draft and post final draft onto appropriate public website and publicize (launch)

9. Set into motion support for policy:

* Could include: creation/extension of data centers, physical archives, facilities, institutions, or ring‐fenced funds for competitive award programs, development of standard and repositories, education, outreach, etc

10. Monitor compliance and enforce policy

11. Extend policy to cover sub‐areas of science/data as required (create child policies)

12. Evolve or deprecate policy, or component parts, as required