RDM 101 Impact Evaluation: A Study on Training Effectiveness and Research Practice Changes

A study presents the results of a mixed-methods impact study of Research Data Management 101 (RDM 101), a foundational course offered to PhD candidates at TU Delft. The study examines how the blended training, combining self-paced online learning with interactive in-person or online class sessions, shapes researchers’ knowledge, skills, and long-term data management practices. 

Using Graduate School feedback forms (2020–2025), pre- and post-training surveys (2024/2025), and in-depth interviews with course alumni and data stewards, the evaluation captures both short- and long-term effects of the training. Quantitative results show substantial immediate gains: awareness of institutional RDM support increased from 45% to 98%; 90% of participants adjusted their storage strategies; 81% implemented new backup practices; and 98% felt better equipped to develop or improve their Data Management Plan (DMP), strongly supported by the Data Flow Map (DFM) assignment. Learners’ understanding of FAIR data principles shifted from basic concepts to concrete implementation, including improved documentation, metadata practices, and use of README files.

Interview findings demonstrate sustained behavioural change up to 18 months after completing the course. Participants reported more deliberate, consistent, and reproducible data workflows, as well as a mindset shift from viewing RDM as a compliance exercise to recognising it as integral to high-quality, efficient research. The course also fostered reduced anxiety around RDM, peer learning, and a sense of community. 

The report identifies areas for improvement, such as workload–credit balance, discipline-specific examples, and delivery format refinement, and provides recommendations for strengthening training design. Overall, the study shows that investing in expert-led, interactive RDM training produces measurable and lasting improvements in research practices. While centred on TU Delft’s experience, the findings and methodology are transferable to other institutions seeking to evaluate or enhance their RDM training programmes.

Contact Information

For questions, issues, or contributions, contact TU Delft Library Research Data and Software Training Team rdmtraining-lib@tudelft.nl.