## Plan and Design

The planning and design stage of your research is the foundation for the remainder of the project. In this phase you will coordinate with any collaborators and colleagues on the best approach for your project, define the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved and ensure that all legal and ethical requirements have been considered.

The following documents are typically prepared during this period:

- Research proposal
- Grant application
- Ethics application (if required)
- Data management plan
- Informed consent forms
- Participant information statements
- Risk assessments (if required)
- Collaboration agreements (if required)
- Privacy agreements (if required)

The VU offers a variety of support services for researchers at every stage of the research lifecycle. If you are unsure where to start, contact the central research data management team or take a look at the Research and Impact Support Portal.

It is advised to connect with support services in the early stages of your research project. Tasks such as legal agreements take time to complete, reaching out early helps avoid delays to your research project and ensure you can continue with your research.