research and development in project management

R&D Project Management: key elements and best practices

R&D project management is one of the most complex tasks you may encounter as a Project Manager. While in more ‘traditional’ projects, so to say, the objectives to be achieved and well-defined schedules, budgets and resources are clear from the initial stages of the project, this rarely happens with this type of project.

R&D projects rarely have such a rigid structure, but rather live in uncertainty throughout the project life cycle. Changing market needs, new opportunities to be exploited, constant adjustments in product development and resource allocation. There are so many changing circumstances in this type of projects and so many interests involved that in the end many of them fail because they end up losing focus on what is most important in this type of initiatives:

• Alignment with the organization’s strategic objectives.
• To meet users’ and customers’ needs .

Do you currently manage R&D and new product development projects ? Would you like to know what are the key elements and best practices to take the management of this type of projects to the highest level? If so, read on.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is R&D project management?

• Understanding the R&D project environment.
• Customer involvement.
• Requirements Management.
• Resource Management across multiple projects.
• Communications Management.
• Work with business objectives always in mind.
• Manage your resources wisely.
• Use Phase Gates Process across the entire portfolio.
• Documentation of all the knowledge bases of the project.
• Keep stakeholders informed.
• Use a SaaS PPM software.
• Managing your R&D projects with Triskell Software.

Project management consists of a set of frameworks and processes for planning and managing the different phases of a project. This is, broadly speaking, a classic definition of what is nowadays understood as Project Management in which you, as Project Manager , plan, prioritize and supervise the different operations and tasks to be carried out to complete the project within the agreed deadlines and budgets, optimizing to the maximum issues such as resource management or project costs.

However, can this traditional view of project management be applied, for example, to the research and development of new products or services? Is it possible in this type of projects to work with well-defined objectives, requirements, deadlines and budgets from the beginning, as it is the case with the projects you normally manage in your organization?

If there is one thing that defines R&D projects is their high degree of uncertaintyr

The answer is NO. If there is one thing that defines R&D projects, it is their high degree of uncertainty. Think about it for a moment. Most of these projects consist of researching and developing entirely new products that address a specific user need for which there is nothing available on the market.</p<

These are projects that, if well-executed, can give companies a great competitive advantage. But its management is complex, as the definition of the following aspects may change throughout the project life cycle:

• Needs: in R&D projects, the research phase plays a fundamental role in identifying possible market opportunities and unmet customer needs. However, what happens if these needs change during the course of the project? How can you effectively manage new product development projects in an environment where customer demands change with such volatility?
• Requirements: while in more traditional projects the requirements are already fully defined in the planning phase, this is rarely the case with R&D projects. There are many factors, both internal and external, that can force these requirements to be reviewed and modified: changing customer needs, lack of resources or funds, lack of knowledge of certain technologies, etc.
• Objectives: R&D projects have the greatest importance for the companies, hence their prioritization is the highest possible. However, what happens if the strategic objectives change? What if the market opportunity disappears and the company focuses on new goals? This aspect plays a fundamental role in R&D project management.
• Delivery dates: giving realistic dates for completing a new product development project is practically a pipe dream. The outcomes of an R&D project are usually uncertain, hence the difficulty of establishing delivery dates for this type of initiative. On the other hand, the evolution of needs and requirements throughout the project life cycle may also cause changes in the agreed end-of-project dates.

Provide dates for completing a new product development project is a pipe dream

Key elements of R&D project management

Due to all these constraints, the research and development of a new product brings with it governance and management challenges that, although they may have similarities to those you have to deal with in your day-to-day project management, have their own peculiarities.

For efficient R&D project management, it is necessary to know which are its key elements. Understanding these differentiating elements will enable you to better manage all the issues you will encounter throughout the project life cycle, and will increase the success rate of the research and development projects you manage. These key aspects are as follows:

We will now analyze each of them.

1. Understanding the R&D project environment

It is important to know in detail the environment in which R&D projects are planned and developed, as it is one of the most turbulent and volatile environments that you will encounter as a project manager. You will face governance and management challenges that will be difficult to respond to immediately due to the complexity and uncertainty surrounding these new product development projects. Some outstanding examples:

• Set targets in new product development initiatives that require technology that, in most cases, has not yet been discovered.
• Develop a detailed project timeline, with milestones and key dates, when many of the R&D project requirements are yet to be verified once product development begins.
• Not having certain skills or roles in the organization to carry out the project while the organization’s executives require you to complete the project within certain deadlines.
• Coordinate with the Marketing department to introduce the product to the market at the right time before it ceases to be an opportunity for the business.

Knowing how to manage an environment in which executives, teams and external partners can influence the development of the project will be the biggest challenge you will face as an R&D project manager.

2. Customer involvement

Customer involvement in the development of new products is key. Their feedback will not only allow you to develop products that are easy to use and maintain, but also to identify improvements in aspects such as usability, product performance and satisfaction of consumer needs . Feedback that, if used wisely, will help to achieve greater market penetration of the products and, therefore, more profits for the company.

Customer feedback will allow identifying improvements in the usability of the product and the satisfaction of the consumer’s needs

It is recommended to involve the customer in several of the phases of the R&D project life cycle, such as:

• List of project requirements. A feedback with the client at this point will help to identify the pain points and problems that the client wants to solve, and from there do the relevant market research before project initiation.
• Testing and validation of the product prototype , in order to identify possible improvements and errors to be corrected for the final version of the product.
• Evaluations of the final product to establish whether the product has met the customer’s needs and possible improvements for future versions of the product.

3. Requirements Management

The active involvement of the client in the development of R&D projects means that the management of the requirements of this type of initiative has some peculiarities compared to other types of projects. While it is normal to have clear project requirements in the early stages of a project, this is not the case when it comes to new product development.

The requirements for this type of project tend to evolve over time. And the lack of agility and flexibility of organizations to adapt to this type of circumstances, very common in R&D projects, causes many of them to fail. An efficient management of these requirements and a clear communication of any changes in them will be critical to manage key aspects of these projects such as resource management, capacity planning or project budgets.

Project stakeholders should not lose focus on the strategic objectives

Therefore, when managing project requirements, it is essential that all project stakeholders (project managers, development teams, external partners, executives , etc.) never lose focus on the strategic objectives and overall purpose of the R&D project.

4. Resource Management across multiple projects

Most R&D projects are large-scale, involving the allocation of multiple organizational resources to perform the various tasks of the project throughout its life cycle.

If we add to this what we have already mentioned in the previous point regarding the complexity of managing the requirements of an R&D project, you will now understand the importance of resource management and capacity planning for this type of initiatives.

• Capacity planning will help you estimate the resources you will need to allocate to each of the project areas and tasks throughout the project life cycle, taking into account the evolution of the project requirements and the priority of the project for the organization.
• On the other hand, with efficient resource management , you will know at any time how many resources need to be allocated to the project and the efforts that need to be dedicated to it. Here it will be important to list the skills and competencies of each of the members of the company in order to detect strengths and weaknesses and, depending on the project requirements, to seek or not those resources outside the organization.

See the Triskell platform in action in a personal demo​

5. Communications Management

When managing R&D projects, it is essential to have a communications plan in place that establishes the following:

• The periodicity with which we will inform the different project stakeholders about the evolution of the project.
• Main communication channels (reports, alerts, email, discussion forums, etc.).
• How and where will be documented all information relating to all such communications.

You must put in place a project communications plan for efficient project management

Considering how quickly requirements can change and, above all, the uncertainty that always surrounds R&D projects, having a clear understanding of how all project changes will be communicated is essential for efficient project management.

Best Practices for R&D project management

Now that you know the key elements that differentiate R&D project management, it is important that you implement a series of best practices to increase the probability of success in the development of new products. Some of them will be familiar to you because you are probably already putting them into practice in other types of projects, but in R&D and new product development are especially relevant. They are the following:

1. Work with business objectives always in mind.

When managing R&D projects, it is essential that all parties involved never lose focus on the strategic objectives of the organization. Hence, if there are changes in factors such as priority, requirements, budget or project deadlines, you can make decisions aligned with the vision and mission of the organization.

Having processes and tools in place that allow you to plan What-if scenario simulations will be critical to managing budgets, costs and other factors will be key to the efficient management of your new product development projects.

2. Manage your resources wisely

Dealing with all the workload involved in new product development is one of the biggest challenges any project manager has to face, especially when it comes to resource management. If it is already complex to plan the allocation and management of resources in any type of project, program or portfolio, this becomes even more complicated when you enter the R&D field.

Again, the uncertainty surrounding these initiatives is the cause of this. Depending on the type of R&D project you may have tighter schedules, while in others you may not have any deadlines for each of the project milestones.

You should plan in advance the resources you will need for the project

What-if scenario simulations are essential to keep project objectives and requirements aligned at any time. But also, with the strategic vision of the organization, they become even more relevant for resource management. It is key to the process to be able to plan in advance the resources you will need for the project based on how the priority, requirements and deadlines of the project evolve.

3. Use Phase Gate Process across the entire portfolio

R&D project management requires the implementation of rigorous control processes to review the progress of the project and make the corresponding adjustments when necessary. There is no point in devoting resources, money and time to a new product that, once finished, does not meet the needs of customers and markets because we have not been exhaustive when it comes to periodically reviewing what has been done.

Therefore, the Phase-Gate methodology is best suited to the R&D project environment. This methodology mainly consists of implementing a review process for each of the phases of the project (ideation, scope, business case, development, testing and launch), in which, after having analyzed the progress made and identifying possible improvements to be implemented, one of the following decisions is taken:

• Move the project to the next phase.
• Stop it to carry out the pertinent improvements.
• Cancel it because it is no longer profitable for the organization.

You can learn more about the Phase-Gate Process in the following post.

A comprehensive guide of Phase Gate Process for R&D projects

4. documentation of all the knowledge bases of the project.

In an R&D project, the documentation process takes on special relevance, more than in any other type of project. Not only the progress made should be documented, but also any changes that may have occurred in the project (new requirements, budget and resources adjustments, updated deadlines, etc.) and the reasons why these changes have been made.

All communications with project stakeholders (minutes, e-mails, reports, presentations, etc.) shall also be recorded.

All changes to the project and the reasons behind them should be documented

All this documentation will serve as a knowledge base not only for the current project, but will also serve as a repository for future R&D projects to be managed and as a source of learning from past successes and mistakes.

5. Keep stakeholders informed

Due to the importance of R&D projects and new product development for organizations, communication with stakeholders must be regular and smooth.

From the initial stages of the project, you should establish a frequency with which to communicate with them. These are communications that will go beyond reporting on the progress of the project, since you must agree with them on aspects such as:

• Project requirements.
• Project objectives.
• Budgets and costs.
• Resource allocation and recruitment.
• Collaborations with external partners.
• Testing and validation of the prototype.
• Project cancellation.
• Changes in requirements or project delivery dates.

As indicated in the previous point, all communications with stakeholders must be documented for proper monitoring of the project’s progress.

6. Use a SaaS PPM software

If you think that by filling in spreadsheets you will be able to manage your R&D projects, get that idea out of your head because this type of project is much more complex than any other you manage in your organization. A traditional project management tool is also not enough to cover many of the governance and management challenges involved in new product development, as these tools do not efficiently cover issues such as planning and strategic alignment.

A PPM software is the best option to take R&D project management to the next level. With a PPM tool you will be able to:

• Prioritize your projects by aligning them with the organization’s strategic objectives.
• Plan capacity and resource management based on these strategic objectives.
• Perform What-if scenario analysis in advance.
• Keep all stakeholders informed with fully customizable alerts and notification systems.
• Create reports and dashboards to monitor the progress of the project and inform the organization’s executives about its status in real-time.

Managing your R&D project portfolio with Triskell Software

The Triskell platform is the PPM software with strategy execution management functionalities that will allow you to successfully address all the challenges and difficulties you will encounter when managing your R&D projects. Thanks to its flexibility and ability to integrate with different tools (e.g. ERP software, Jira or Microsoft Project) you will be able to plan, monitor and manage all aspects of your R&D projects.

Here are some of Triskell’s features that will help you to achieve excellence in R&D project management:

• Roadmaps with which to plan the project and to visualize the different tasks to be completed throughout its life cycle.
• Workflows to organize project activities.
• Stage reviews to decide whether to go ahead with the project or to make the appropriate modifications.
• Cost control to monitor all expenses derived from your R&D projects.
• Budget management to keep under control the budget allocated to your projects.
• Resource management to allocate resources and monitor their use in your organization for the R&D projects you manage.
• Ideas management to undertake on new R&D projects or improve the requirements of existing ones.
• What-if Scenario analysis to plan in advance the organization’s capacity for possible changes of course.
• Integration with ERP software and other project management and execution tools such as Microsoft Project or Jira .

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Request a demo of Triskell Software

If you would like to learn more about how Triskell can help you manage your organization’s R&D projects, request a demo below.

FAQs about R&D projects

What are the biggest challenges of managing r&d projects.

The biggest challenges of managing R&D projects stem from their inherent uncertainty. Unlike traditional projects with well-defined goals and deliverables, R&D projects often involve exploration and discovery. This makes it difficult to predict timelines, costs, and even the final outcome. Additionally, R&D projects often require flexibility and adaptation as new information or challenges arise.

How can I ensure my R&D project aligns with business objectives?

Ensuring your R&D project aligns with business objectives requires constant focus and communication. Here are some key steps:

• Clearly define the business objectives the R&D project aims to support.
• Regularly assess the project’s progress against these objectives.
• Maintain open communication with stakeholders to ensure everyone is informed and aligned.
• Be prepared to adapt the project if necessary to better serve the overall business goals.

What are Phase Gates and how do they benefit R&D project management?

Phase Gates are decision points implemented throughout the R&D project lifecycle. At each Phase Gate, a project team evaluates progress against pre-defined criteria. This evaluation determines whether the project moves forward to the next phase, requires replanning, or needs to be terminated.

Phase Gates benefit R&D project management by:

• Ensuring projects stay on track and avoid wasting resources on dead ends.
• Providing opportunities to make course corrections based on new information.
• Promoting better communication and collaboration among stakeholders.

What are some best practices for documenting knowledge gained during R&D projects?

Capturing and documenting learnings throughout an R&D project is crucial for future success. Here are some best practices:

• Maintain detailed project documentation , including project goals, milestones, and decisions made.
• Encourage team members to record their findings and observations throughout the project.
• Hold regular debriefing sessions to discuss lessons learned and areas for improvement.
• Develop a knowledge management system to store and share R&D project learnings across the organization.

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Book description

Today’s leading organizations recognize the importance of research and development (R&D) to maintain and grow market share. If companies want to survive into the future, they must accelerate their R&D-to-market cycles or find themselves behind the competition. Project Management for Research and Development: Guiding Innovation for Positive R&D Outcomes explains how to apply proven project management methods to obtain positive outcomes in R&D and innovation projects. It addresses the specific factors companies must consider when using project management to scope, define, and manage R&D projects. It also offers best practices and case studies that illustrate actual applications of theory. This book details methods to help readers optimize results in R&D through the use of structured processes derived from the project management field and other complementary disciplines. Each chapter includes diagrams, surveys, checklists, and question-answer forms to guide readers in determining where their activity falls along a project spectrum and to help them structure their own R&D project. The methods presented in this book can easily be applied to innovation projects and creative endeavors. As there are limited sources of information on how to utilize project management methodology effectively in these types of projects, this book is an ideal resource for anyone looking to add structure and proven methods to enable R&D, innovation, and other creative activities.

Table of contents

• Front Cover (1/2)
• Front Cover (2/2)
• Contents (1/3)
• Contents (2/3)
• Contents (3/3)
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• Acknowledgments
• About the Author
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Project Management Approaches (1/10)
• Chapter 1: Project Management Approaches (2/10)
• Chapter 1: Project Management Approaches (3/10)
• Chapter 1: Project Management Approaches (4/10)
• Chapter 1: Project Management Approaches (5/10)
• Chapter 1: Project Management Approaches (6/10)
• Chapter 1: Project Management Approaches (7/10)
• Chapter 1: Project Management Approaches (8/10)
• Chapter 1: Project Management Approaches (9/10)
• Chapter 1: Project Management Approaches (10/10)
• Chapter 2: Project Management as an Enabler (1/13)
• Chapter 2: Project Management as an Enabler (2/13)
• Chapter 2: Project Management as an Enabler (3/13)
• Chapter 2: Project Management as an Enabler (4/13)
• Chapter 2: Project Management as an Enabler (5/13)
• Chapter 2: Project Management as an Enabler (6/13)
• Chapter 2: Project Management as an Enabler (7/13)
• Chapter 2: Project Management as an Enabler (8/13)
• Chapter 2: Project Management as an Enabler (9/13)
• Chapter 2: Project Management as an Enabler (10/13)
• Chapter 2: Project Management as an Enabler (11/13)
• Chapter 2: Project Management as an Enabler (12/13)
• Chapter 2: Project Management as an Enabler (13/13)
• Chapter 3: Bounding the Creative Spaces (1/11)
• Chapter 3: Bounding the Creative Spaces (2/11)
• Chapter 3: Bounding the Creative Spaces (3/11)
• Chapter 3: Bounding the Creative Spaces (4/11)
• Chapter 3: Bounding the Creative Spaces (5/11)
• Chapter 3: Bounding the Creative Spaces (6/11)
• Chapter 3: Bounding the Creative Spaces (7/11)
• Chapter 3: Bounding the Creative Spaces (8/11)
• Chapter 3: Bounding the Creative Spaces (9/11)
• Chapter 3: Bounding the Creative Spaces (10/11)
• Chapter 3: Bounding the Creative Spaces (11/11)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (1/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (2/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (3/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (4/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (5/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (6/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (7/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (8/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (9/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (10/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (11/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (12/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (13/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (14/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (15/16)
• Chapter 4: Measuring Success (16/16)
• Chapter 5: Building Blocks to Success (1/12)
• Chapter 5: Building Blocks to Success (2/12)
• Chapter 5: Building Blocks to Success (3/12)
• Chapter 5: Building Blocks to Success (4/12)
• Chapter 5: Building Blocks to Success (5/12)
• Chapter 5: Building Blocks to Success (6/12)
• Chapter 5: Building Blocks to Success (7/12)
• Chapter 5: Building Blocks to Success (8/12)
• Chapter 5: Building Blocks to Success (9/12)
• Chapter 5: Building Blocks to Success (10/12)
• Chapter 5: Building Blocks to Success (11/12)
• Chapter 5: Building Blocks to Success (12/12)
• Chapter 6: Overcoming Obstacles (1/14)
• Chapter 6: Overcoming Obstacles (2/14)
• Chapter 6: Overcoming Obstacles (3/14)
• Chapter 6: Overcoming Obstacles (4/14)
• Chapter 6: Overcoming Obstacles (5/14)
• Chapter 6: Overcoming Obstacles (6/14)
• Chapter 6: Overcoming Obstacles (7/14)
• Chapter 6: Overcoming Obstacles (8/14)
• Chapter 6: Overcoming Obstacles (9/14)
• Chapter 6: Overcoming Obstacles (10/14)
• Chapter 6: Overcoming Obstacles (11/14)
• Chapter 6: Overcoming Obstacles (12/14)
• Chapter 6: Overcoming Obstacles (13/14)
• Chapter 6: Overcoming Obstacles (14/14)
• Chapter 7: Facilitating the Creative Team (1/11)
• Chapter 7: Facilitating the Creative Team (2/11)
• Chapter 7: Facilitating the Creative Team (3/11)
• Chapter 7: Facilitating the Creative Team (4/11)
• Chapter 7: Facilitating the Creative Team (5/11)
• Chapter 7: Facilitating the Creative Team (6/11)
• Chapter 7: Facilitating the Creative Team (7/11)
• Chapter 7: Facilitating the Creative Team (8/11)
• Chapter 7: Facilitating the Creative Team (9/11)
• Chapter 7: Facilitating the Creative Team (10/11)
• Chapter 7: Facilitating the Creative Team (11/11)
• Chapter 8: Process Steps for the R&D Project (1/3)
• Chapter 8: Process Steps for the R&D Project (2/3)
• Chapter 8: Process Steps for the R&D Project (3/3)
• Appendix A (1/3)
• Appendix A (2/3)
• Appendix A (3/3)
• Bibliography

Product information

• Title: Project Management for Research and Development
• Author(s): Lory Mitchell Wingate
• Release date: August 2014
• Publisher(s): Auerbach Publications
• ISBN: 9781466596306

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Project Management for Research

The tools you need to make your research project a success.

This toolkit includes a variety of tools for managing your research projects including recommendations for general project management software and tools to help you and your team manage activities from grant writing to implementation and project closeout.

Explore the toolkit below:

Grant Writing + Project Development

A Gantt Chart is a popular project management tool; it is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project’s schedule. The chart allows for organizing and viewing project activities and tasks against pre-established timeframes.

Gantt Chart Template Gantt Chart Instructions Gantt Chart Example

Graphic display of the flow or sequence of events that a product or service follows; it shows all activities, decision points, rework loops and handoffs.

Process maps allow the team to visualize the process and come to agreement on the steps of a process as well as examine which activities are duplicated. Process maps are used to:

• Capture current and new process information
• Identify the flow of a process
• Identify responsibility of different business functions
• Clearly show hand-off between functions
• Identify value added and non-value added activities
• Train team members in new process

Process Map Template Process Mapping Guide Process Map Example 1 Process Map Example 2

The Data Management Plan (DMP) defines the responsibilities related to the entry, ownership, sharing, validation, editing and storage of primary research data.

A data management plan must not only reflect the requirements of the protocol/project but also comply with applicable institutional, state and federal guidelines and regulations. The DMP Tool details your agencies expectations, has suggested language for REDCap and exports a properly formatted plan.

DMP Tool NIH Data Management & Sharing (DMS) Policy

The Project Charter's purpose is to define at a high level what the Project Team will deliver, what resources are needed and why it is justified.

The Project Charter also represents a commitment to dedicate the necessary time and resources to the project. It can be especially useful when organizing a multi-disciplinary, internally funded team. The document should be brief (up to three pages maximum).   

Project Charter Template Project Charter Instructions Project Charter Example

Milestones are an effective way to track major progress in your research project.

A Gantt Chart is an effective tool for setting and tracking milestones and deliverables. It is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project’s schedule.  

The proposal budget should be derived directly from the project description.

The proposal budget should follow the format specified by the sponsor. The Office of Sponsored Programs Budget Preparation webpages provide descriptions of the standard budget categories, lists of typical components of those categories, Ohio State rates where appropriate and other details to help ensure your budget is complete. Budget Preparation Resources from Office of Research The 398 grant form from the NIH is a template that includes standard categories required for an NIH grant (and many others) that you can use to develop a preliminary budget.

PHS 398 Forms PHS 398 Budget form for Initial Project Period Template PHS 398 Budget Form for Entire Proposal Project Template

The Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan first assists the research team in anticipating risk that may occur during the research project before it happens.

The plan then specifies when to act to mitigate risk by defining thresholds and establishing action plans to follow. As a fundamental ethical requirement research risks are to be minimized to the greatest extent possible for all research endeavors. This includes not only prompt identification measures but also response, reporting and resolution. Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan Template Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan Example

The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) organizes the research project work into manageable components.

It is represented in a hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the research project team. It visually defines the scope into manageable chunks that the team can understand.  WBS Instructions and Template WBS Structure Example

Implementation

A Gantt Chart is a popular project management tool; it is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project’s schedule.

The chart allows for organizing and viewing project activities and tasks against pre-established timeframes. A Gantt Chart can also be used for tracking milestones and major progresses within your research project.

The purpose is to define at a high level what the Project Team will deliver, what resources are needed and why it is justified.   

It is represented in a hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the research project team. It visually defines the scope into manageable chunks that the team can understand.  WBS Instructions + Template WBS Structure Example

A communications plan facilitates effective and efficient dissemination of information to the research team members and major stakeholders in the research project.

It describes how the communications will occur; the content, security, and privacy of those communications; along with the method of dissemination and frequency.

Communications Plan Template Communications Plan Example

The Data Management Plan (DMP) defines the responsibilities related to the entry, ownership, sharing, validation, editing, and storage of primary research data.

A data management plan must not only reflect the requirements of the protocol/project but also comply with applicable institutional, state, and federal guidelines and regulations. The DMP Tool details your agencies expectations, has suggested language for REDCap, and exports a properly formatted plan.

DMP Tool DMP Tool Instructions Ohio State Research Guide: Data

The chart allows for organizing and viewing project activities and tasks against pre-established timeframes. Gantt Chart Template Gantt Chart Instructions Gantt Chart Example

This tool helps you capture details of issues that arise so that the project team can quickly see the status and who is responsible for resolving it.

Further, the Issue Management Tool guides you through a management process that gives you a robust way to evaluate issues, assess their impact, and decide on a plan for resolution.

Issue Management Tool Template Issue Management Tool Instructions Issue Management Example

A Pareto Chart is a graphical tool that helps break down a problem into its parts so that managers can identify the most frequent, and thus most important, problems.

It depicts in descending order (from left to right) the frequency of events being studied. It is based on the Pareto Principle or “80/20 Rule”, which says that roughly 80% of problems are caused by 20% of contributors. With the Pareto Principle Project Managers solve problems by identifying and focusing on the “vital few” problems. Managers should avoid focusing on “people” problems. Problems are usually the result of processes, not people.

Pareto Chart Template Pareto Chart Instructions Pareto Chart Example

Closeout, Transfer + Application

Completing a project means more than finishing the research. 

There remain financial, personnel, reporting, and other responsibilities. These tasks typically need to be completed within a timeline that begins 60 to 90 days before the project end date and 90 days after. Specifics will vary depending on the project and the funding source. The Office of Sponsored Programs “Project Closeout” webpage provides a description closeout issues, a list of PI Responsibilities and other details to help ensure your project is in fact complete.  Project Closeout Checklist Project Closeout Resources from Office of Research

A communications plan facilitates effective and efficient dissemination of information to the research team members and major stakeholders in the research project. 

It describes how the communications will occur; the content, security and privacy of those communications; along with the method of dissemination and frequency.

Project Management Software

An open-source project management software similar to Microsoft Project.

OpenProject  has tools to create dashboards, Gantt Charts, budgets, and status reports. Activities can be assigned to team members and progress monitored. OpenProject also has a tool for Agile Project Management. While the software is free, OpenProject must be installed and maintained on a local server and there will probably be costs associated with this. Talk to your departmental or college IT staff.

A secure, web-based project management system.

Basecamp  offers an intuitive suite of tools at a minimal cost: ~$20/month or free for teachers. Basecamp facilitates collaboration between research team members with features such as to-do lists, messaging, file sharing, assignment of tasks, milestones, due dates and time tracking.  

A project management tool that organizes tasks, activities, responsibilities and people on projects.

Trello can help manage research projects by keeping everyone on time and on task. It uses a distinctive interface based on cards and lists and may be especially useful for smaller projects.

If you have a disability and experience difficulty accessing this content, please submit an email to [email protected] for assistance.

Project management: Recent developments and research opportunities

• Published: 16 June 2012
• Volume 21 , pages 129–143, ( 2012 )

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• Nicholas G. Hall 1  

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This paper studies the business process known as project management. This process has exhibited a remarkable growth in business interest over the last 15 years, as demonstrated by a 1000% increase in membership in the Project Management Institute since 1996. This growth is largely attributable to the emergence of many new diverse business applications that can be successfully managed as projects. The new applications for project management include IT implementations, research and development, new product and service development, corporate change management, and software development. The characteristics of modern projects are typically very different from those of traditional projects such as construction and engineering, which necessitates the development of new project management techniques. We discuss these recent practical developments. The history of project management methodology is reviewed, from CPM and PERT to the influential modern directions of critical chain project management and agile methods. We identify one important application area for future methodological change as new product and service development. A list of specific research topics within project management is discussed. The conclusions suggest the existence of significant research opportunities within project management.

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Nicholas G. Hall is Professor of Management Sciences in the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. He holds B.A., M.A. degrees in economics from the University of Cambridge, a professional qualification in accounting, and a Ph.D. (1986) from the University of California at Berkeley. His main research interests are in tactical operations issues, especially project management, scheduling and pricing, public policy and sports management problems. He is the author of over 70 refereed publications, and has given over 260 academic presentations, including 88 invited presentations in 20 countries, 6 conference keynote presentations and 6 INFORMS tutorials. A 2008 citation study ranked him 13th among 1,376 scholars in the operations management field. He is a Fellow of the Institute for Decision Making under Uncertainty of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He won the Faculty Outstanding Research Award of the Fisher College of Business in 1998 and 2005.

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Hall, N.G. Project management: Recent developments and research opportunities. J. Syst. Sci. Syst. Eng. 21 , 129–143 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11518-012-5190-5

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Published : 16 June 2012

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s11518-012-5190-5

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Project Management Strategies for Research Team Members

Webinar series on the principles of project management

For more information:

• Understand the foundational principles of project management.
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Managing projects is a detailed and systematic process. Yet, the applications of this process vary across disciplines and teams. This webinar series will introduce how to troubleshoot, forecast, and problem solve using project management in various contexts while considering how these elements impact the work of teams. Each of the four independent sessions will be led by David Vincenti, PMP, a certified project management professional. This series will identify the principles of project management and how to apply templates and skills to your work and experiences in team settings. The last session will feature a panel of guest speakers who utilize successful project management strategies in their respective roles and professions. Those without official training in this area will gain skills and confidence in project management during this series.

Boundary-Crossing Skills for Research Careers

This session explores approaches to developing a broad range of competencies integral to establishing and maintaining a successful research career. The series delves into the following competencies: team science, mentorship, project management, communication, leadership, and funding research. For more information and to access other resources and webinars in the series, please visit  Boundary-Crossing Skills for Research Careers.

Meet the Presenter

Vincenti has presented to academic and professional audiences on project management, professional development, and other topics, and has been recognized for his work with career planning for early-career technical professionals. He holds degrees in materials engineering and technology management from Stevens Institute of Technology.

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Sarita Patil, MD:  Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Assistant Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital

Jane Shim, BA : Clinical Research Coordinator, Food Allergy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital

Neal Smith, MSc : Senior Computational Biologist, Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital

Yamini Virkud, MD, MA, MPH : Pediatric Allergist/Immunologist and Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Session dates

Session 1: Defining the Work November 1, 2022 | 12:00pm ET This session introduces basic project management principles. You will learn the definition of a project, how to manage project scope, and how to draft the baseline of a project while considering how projects can be connected.

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Session 4: Panel Discussion November 10, 2022 | 12:00pm ET This culminating session features a panel discussion with four successful project management practitioners. The panelists will share their experiences in their respective roles and professions, and discuss how they engage in project management work within team settings.

Time commitment

50-minute sessions on Zoom

This series is designed for team members in the clinical and translational (c/t ) workforce who are familiar with project management but have no formal training. Attendees are welcome to attend on their own or with their team members.

We believe that the research community is strengthened by understanding how a number of factors including gender identity, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, culture, religion, national origin, language, disability, and age shape the environment in which we live and work, affect each of our personal identities, and impacts all areas of human health.

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There are no eligibility requirements. Prior session attendees have included: PhD, MD, postdocs, junior faculty, and medical students.

Registration is currently closed. Please check back for future opportunities.

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Innovating drug development: Charles River embracing alternatives to animal testing

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The project represents a significant investment of $200 million over the past four years, with an additional $300 million earmarked for the next five years. This comprehensive investment strategy encompasses a range of technological innovations, strategic partnerships, and advocacy efforts all geared toward reducing reliance on animal testing.

“Advances in science and technology have brought our industry to an inflection point. Alternatives are the path to the next frontier of drug development, allowing us to responsibly drive progress for the patients and animals that depend on our work,” says James Foster, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Charles River.

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In a research paper published in the Heart Views Journal, Rachel Hajar published a paper on ‘ Animal Testing and Medicine ​’. In it she explains that drug testing on animals became important in the twentieth century.

Animal rights

She wrote: “In recent years, the practice of using animals for biomedical research has come under severe criticism by animal protection and animal rights groups. Laws have been passed in several countries to make the practice more ‘humane’.

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She says those against it, contend that the benefit to humans does not justify the harm to animals. Many people also believe that animals are inferior to humans and very different from them, hence results from animals cannot be applied to humans. Those in favor of animal testing argue that experiments on animals are necessary to advance medical and biological knowledge.

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Project Units

Project units are operational subsets of an enterprise that conducts business operations using projects and enforces consistent project planning, management, analysis, and reporting. Project units often represent lines of business, such as Consulting Services, Sales, and Research and Development.

You must set up at least one project unit to use in Oracle Project Portfolio Management.

Maintain independent setup data for each project unit while sharing a common approach to financial management across all project units. The following graphic shows two project units that share a common approach to financial management and data. Each project unit maintains separate reference data for managing projects.

General Properties

General property options include the default reference data set the application uses for any new reference data object associated with the project unit. You can override the default set for each reference data object. The method of project number creation, either manual or automatic, and daily or weekly full time equivalent hours for reporting purposes, are also included in general properties.

Set Assignments

Assign sets to project units to determine how the application shares reference data across different lines of business in a company. A project unit is a set determinant for the following objects.

Project Definition: Includes set-enabled reference data for the project definition including:

Financial plan type

Project Transaction Types: Includes set-enabled reference data for project transactions including:

Project expenditure type

Project work type

Set assignment configuration includes the following options for each project unit.

Reference Data Object: For the project definition and project transaction types.

Reference Data Set Code: By default, the set for each reference data object is from the default set specified for the project unit.

Related Business Units

You associate business units with a project unit to identify the business units that are accountable for financial transactions of projects in each project unit. You can change the project unit and business unit association if you haven't used the combination on a project or project template. If a business unit isn't associated with any project unit, then the business unit is valid for all project units.

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