Managing Data in a Team

Whether you’re constantly reminding everyone about data policies or cleaning up everyone’s data before analysis, coordinating data management for a team often takes a lot of time, effort, and stress. These communication tools can help you spend less time managing and more time researching.

Lab Handbook Template

A handbook sets expectations, summarizes policies, and helps keep everyone on the same page. The handbook writing process also helps clarify priorities and can be a great opportunity to get everyone invested in shared data management practices.

Try this handbook template developed by the Illinois Research Data Service and Research IT. It’s thorough, organized, and customizable with tips for filling out the sections relevant to your group.

For a deeper dive on leading a research team, check out the resources from the National Center for Principled Leadership and Research Ethics.

File Naming Convention

Consistent file names are essential for data management in teams. Our file organization tips and file naming convention template will help keep everyone organized.

Exit Checklist

Team members come and go. Make sure their data doesn’t go with them. Our exit checklist template provides essential questions to ask before a team member leaves and can be used as a form or an interview.