Book-a-Data-Manager (BADM) RDM Service– A practical approach to RDM support

The Book-a-Data-Manager (BADM) is a centrally managed, paid Research Data Management (RDM) support service at KU Leuven, designed for large research projects and groups. The service, comprised of a pool of data managers, offers up to 10 days of consultation to research teams, assisting them in developing and implementing good data management practices. While the data managers, typically drawn from various domain-specific RDM teams, provide the required RDM support guidance, they are not responsible for managing the data for the research group or project. The research team is ultimately responsible for carrying out and following up on data management. BADM's support focuses on key areas such as developing data storage procedures, improving data organization, documenting data and metadata, and creating workflows for archiving and publishing research data at the end of a project. The service delivers tailored RDM solutions through active engagement between researchers and RDM experts. BADM was launched as a pilot in 2023, addressing researchers' demand for a need for a short-term, in-depth support for research data management. During this phase, the service assisted 13 research groups: 6 from Humanities and Social Sciences, 6 from Science and Technology, and 1 from Biomedical Sciences. Feedback from the involved researchers highlighted the value of the solution-driven approach and the comprehensive support provided. Positive evaluations led to BADM's transition from a pilot program to a standard service at KU Leuven in June 2024. The successful operation of a service like BADM requires collaboration among various institutional services and RDM teams, necessitating a robust governance model for optimal execution. This presentation will outline the operational framework of BADM at KU Leuven and discuss both the benefits and challenges of managing such a service within an academic environment.