Practical guide to Software Management Plans

Research software plays a crucial role in academic research and has become a key output of many research projects. A software management plan helps to implement best practices during software development and ensures that software is accessible and reusable in the short and longer term. It also contributes to the reproducibility of results and stimulates collaborative work on open-source software for research. TheNetherlands eScience CenterandNWO, the Dutch Research Council, tookthe initiative to form a working group anddevelop ed (national) guidelines for software management plans. This working group was composed of five experts in research software, representing different research organizations in the Netherlands, and roles within those organizations. The working group was active between December 2021 and September 2022.