Data Management is defined by the Data Management Association as "the development and execution of architectures, policies, practices and procedures that properly manage the full data lifecycle needs of an enterprise." It includes acquiring, validating, storing, protecting, and processing required data to ensure the accessibility, reliability, and timeliness of the data for its users. Lots of words-what does this mean, exactly, for a historian? If you plan on applying for a federal grant, it means a lot, for your application will probably require a data management plan, which will need you to explain your plans for securing, naming, and preserving your data. Even if you're not at that stage, it's never too early to learn good data management habits. That means developing a system for managing your citations, files, drafts, data, etc.
Watch this and you'll understand why there should be a plan and standards for managing and sharing data.
