This guide aims to assist interested actors or country teams in developing plans for establishing national data services in the social sciences.

The Guide for Developing National Data Service Plans was published in November 2016.

An Executive Summary is also available.

The guide is divided into three main sections. The first two address larger strategic considerations in conceiving and establishing a national data service. The third section of the guide helps country teams to make a concrete step-by-step plan for new data services.

These three sections will constitute the basis of the national development plans. The plans will include a mission statement, a governance structure, a description of areas of competence and infrastructure that need to be strengthened, as well as a description of future needs and necessary resources for setting up and maintaining viable data services.