Progress Reports at a Glance: Key Functions for Each DUOS Role

The table below provides a quick overview of how Progress Reports support each distinct role within the DUOS ecosystem, highlighting their primary functions in managing data access lifecycles.

DUOS Role	Key Function of Progress Reports
Researchers:	Submit updates for DAR renewal, DMI, or project closeout.
DACs:	Review progress reports for renewals and approve closeouts.
Signing Officials:	Approve researcher closeout requests and oversee institutional compliance.
Data Custodians:	Receive notifications around their datasets’ access to understand who is using their data

For Researchers: Managing Your Data Access and Project Status

When to Submit a Progress Report:

Once 11 months have elapsed from the initial approval of your Data Access Request (DAR), you, as the primary investigator (PI), will receive a notification prompting you to submit a Progress Report. This report is crucial for updating the Data Access Committee (DAC) on your research progress and for managing the continuity or conclusion of your data access.  

How to Submit a Progress Report:

Under Actions, click Update

This will bring you to the progress report form – fill out all red required fields and any relevant optional fields.

Then hit submit at the bottom of the page after Step 5 to send your progress report to all relevant DAC(s).

Required Content for Progress Reports (for Renewal):

When submitting a Progress Report for the purpose of renewing your data access, you are required to provide the following information:

• Summary of Research Progress: Detail the advancements made in your research since the initial DAR was approved.  
• Intellectual Property (IP) Disclosure: Disclose any new intellectual property that has resulted from your research using the accessed data.  
• Publications: List any publications (e.g., journal articles, preprints) that have been published or submitted since the initial DAR, utilizing the accessed data.  
• Presentations: Detail any presentations (e.g., conference talks, posters) given since the initial DAR that feature findings from your research using the accessed data.  

Optional Uses for Progress Reports:

Beyond the required renewal updates, Progress Reports offer flexibility for additional communication and project management:

• Update Internal Lab Staff: Share your research progress with your internal lab team.
• Update Internal or External Collaborators: Keep your collaborators informed about the project’s status.
• Report a Data Management Incident: If a data management incident occurs, you can use the Progress Report to formally document and report it.
• Close Out the Project: If your research project is complete or no longer requires access to the data, you can initiate a project closeout through the Progress Report.

Project Closeout Process for Researchers:

If you choose to close out your project via a Progress Report, the approval flow differs from a renewal:

1. Submission to Signing Official (SO): Instead of the DAC voting on approval, you will submit the closeout request directly to your institutional Signing Official (SO) for their review and approval.
2. SO Approval: Your SO will review the closeout request and, if approved, it will be sent to the DAC Chair(s).
3. DAC Chair Approval: After your SO’s approval, the DAC Chair must provide the final approval for the project closeout.

By utilizing Progress Reports, you gain clear visibility into your data access status, streamline compliance, and efficiently manage your research project’s lifecycle within DUOS.

For Signing Officials (SOs): Strategic Oversight and Closeout Approvals

Approving Project Closeouts:

When a researcher initiates a project closeout through a Progress Report, your role as an SO is critical for institutional approval:

Review and Approval: The researcher will submit the closeout request directly to you, their institutional Signing Official, for initial review and approval by indicating you are their signing official on the closeout form. You will receive an email with a link to the progress report containing a closeout for you to review and approve. The associated action is “Review Closeout”:

Clicking Review Closeout brings you to a read only version of the Progress Report(s) and original DAR, underneath the most recent progress report will be an option to approve the closeout. 

Clicking Approve closeout moves the progress report to the DAC Chair(s) for final approval.

For Data Access Committees (DACs): Reviewing Progress and Approving Closeouts

Reviewing Progress Reports for Renewal:

When a researcher submits a Progress Report for the purpose of renewing their data access, your role as a DAC remains focused on reviewing the submitted information to ensure continued compliance with data use limitations and consent forms. Progress Reports will provide you with updated information from the researcher to understand their progress on their research project, supporting record-keeping and consistency in the review process while preserving the link to the original Data Access Request.  

You will receive an email that a Progress Report has been submitted for review if you’re a chair, or open for voting if you are a DAC member (after your Chair has opened the Progress Report). Voting proceeds as it would for any other DAR.

Approving Project Closeouts:

The process for approving a project closeout initiated via a Progress Report differs from a standard DAR review:

 You will receive an email with a link to the progress report containing a closeout for you to review and approve after it has been approved by the Researcher’s SO. The associated action is “Review Closeout”:

Clicking Review Closeout brings you to a read only version of the Progress Report(s) and original DAR, underneath the most recent progress report will be an option to approve the closeout. 

Clicking Approve closeout moves the progress report and DAR collection to a closed state, completing the closeout process.