04/12/2023 1

Managing Research Projects:

Tips, Lessons Learned, and Project

Management 101PDW Workshop (HR)

http://www.slideshare.net/vbuenger/Practical_Research_Project_Management

04/12/2023 2

Session Guide• Intro—Credentials and Caveats• Peculiarities of Research Projects• Project Essentials

1. What does done look like?2. What could block our path?3. How do we get to done?4. Do we have what we need to get to done?5. How do we know if we are making progress?

• Lessons Learned• Q & A

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Projects: What’s in Your Thought Bubble?

04/12/2023 4

Managing a Typical Project?

• Tasks• Task Relationships• Durations• Milestones• Resources• Risks• Quality• Conflict

DELIVERABLE!

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What Does Done Look Like?

Shared Work

Processes

The Team. . .

The Objective(s). . .

The Project Triangle…

Let’s Do It!

Early DecisionsWho does what and

how do we hold each other accountable?

Work Towards Publication

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What Could Block Our Path?

• Fear• Avoidance• Confused Priorities• Technical Difficulties• Distractions• Inertia• No Map

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Avoiding Train Wrecks• Unclear end points/scope creep• Team members have different project goals• Members don’t pull their weight• Members don’t understand their roles• Poor information about progress• Unclear responsibilities and handoffs• Lack of ownership• Inertia and distractions• Use your imagination!• Use your experience!

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How Do We Get to Done?

• Shared Understanding:o Problem/Opportunity/Research Questiono Team Structure—skills, talent, engagemento Scopeo Key Deliverable(s)

• Agreed Processes/Practiceso Meetingso Guiding Principals

• Alignment on Work Packages and Workflow

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Project WorkflowIdeas

• Development• Design

Data

• Data Gathering

• Analysis• Re-Analysis

Writing• Drafting• Crafting

R&R

• Submit• Revise• Re-submit

Celebrate!

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Do We Have What We Need to Get to Done?

• Peopleo Delegate. Let the people doing the work do the worko Tools. Give them what they need to do the job (authority, access,

software)o Recognition. You can’t say thank you too often or too sincerelyo Expectations. Set clear boundaries. Roles, responsibilities,

commitment

• Toolso Meetingso Documentationo Productivity Tools

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How Do We Know If We Are Making

Progress?• Scripted Status Meetings• RAIID Tool

o Risks o Actionso Issueso Interdependencieso Decisions

• Punch List

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Lessons LearnedDo this

• Get agreement on what done looks like

• Plan to hold regular project calls

• Spread the work• Trust each other• Document as you

go• Be patient--it will

take longer than you think

• Say thank you, often

• Remember, you can do it!

Don’t do this

• Get too frustrated because team members have different habits

• Worry or get mad when team members have to balance their university work with the project work

• Expect everyone to think or work the same way

Consider

• What processes and scripts you will follow

• When are your team members’ busy times

• How can you celebrate small victories/milestones

• What could derail the project and how can you respond

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ResourcesMeeting Tools: 

Doodle.com—corrdinating schedulesFreeConferenceCall.com—conference callsSKYPE—video conference calls and sharing large documentsGoogle Hangout—video conference callsFreeScreenSharing.com—centrally controlled slide showsWebex.com—centrally controlled slide shows

 

Documentation: 

http://people.tamu.edu/~v-buenger/Templates/Minutes-Template.docx (case sensitive)--Minuteshttp://people.tamu.edu/~v-buenger/Templates/Agenda--Template.pptx (case sensitive)--Agendahttp://people.tamu.edu/~v-buenger/Templates/Template_RAIID_Tool.xlsx (case sensitive)--Management Tools

 

Productivity Tools: 

Document Sharing: 

G DriveLockboxMedia Fire

 

Planning and Collaboration: 

Wizehive.comBasecamp.com (with tip sheet: http://people.tamu.edu/~v-buenger/658/basecamp_tip_sheet.pdf)