Research Data Management

Effective research data management supports the ethical, responsible and culturally informed stewardship of Indigenous research data throughout the research lifecycle. Planning for data management from the outset of a project can help researchers meet ethical obligations, support future access requirements and ensure data remains usable over time. ATSIDA provides guidance and support to assist researchers in managing Indigenous research data from project planning through to archiving and long-term preservation.

Indigenous Data Governance, CARE Principles and ICIP Researchers working with Indigenous research data should consider Indigenous Data Governance, the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance, Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) rights and interests, and community expectations relating to access, use, stewardship and future management of research data. These considerations may influence decisions regarding data collection, storage, sharing, archiving and future access.

Planning a Research Project

Data management should be considered during the early stages of research planning.

Existing datasets and opportunities for data reuse
Data governance requirements and stakeholder responsibilities
Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) considerations
Community expectations regarding access, use and stewardship
Ethical and legal obligations relating to data management
Resources and costs associated with managing data throughout the life of a project

Early planning can help establish clear processes for managing and preserving data from the beginning of a project.

Collecting and Managing Research Data

During data collection, researchers should consider how data will be organised, documented, secured and preserved.

Obtaining appropriate informed consent
Managing privacy and confidentiality requirements
Applying suitable anonymisation or de-identification practices
Creating descriptive documentation and metadata
Selecting file formats suitable for long-term preservation
Maintaining secure storage and backup arrangements

Well-managed data is easier to understand, preserve and access over time.

Preparing Data for Archiving

Preparing data for long-term preservation requires consideration of both technical and cultural requirements.

Whether data is suitable for long-term preservation
Rights holders and governance arrangements
Appropriate access conditions and restrictions
Cultural protocols and community expectations
Documentation required to support future access and understanding

These considerations help ensure research data can be preserved and managed responsibly into the future.

Long-Term Preservation and Stewardship

Research data often continues to have value beyond the life of a project. Long-term preservation supports future research, community access, accountability and knowledge retention.

Reduce the risk of data loss
Support ongoing access under agreed conditions
Maintain valuable records of research activity
Enable future reuse where appropriate
Ensure information remains understandable and accessible over time

For Indigenous research data, preservation should also recognise cultural responsibilities, community interests and relevant governance requirements.

How ATSIDA Can Help

ATSIDA works with researchers throughout the research lifecycle to support the management, preservation and archiving of Indigenous research data.

Advice on research data management planning
Guidance on preparing data and documentation for archiving
Assistance with access and governance considerations
Support for identifying appropriate preservation strategies
Information about depositing datasets with ATSIDA

Researchers are encouraged to contact ATSIDA early in a project to discuss data management and preservation requirements. ATSIDA staff work directly with researchers throughout the deposit process and can provide advice on data management, preparation for archiving and access arrangements.