Project Management

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Project Management
Postgraduate Orientation Oct 7th 2009
Project management is the discipline of planning,
organising and managing resources to bring about
the successful completion of specific project
goals and objectives.
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world
the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt
the world to himself. Therefore, all progress
depends on the unreasonable man. George Bernard
Shaw 1856-1950, Irish playwright and critic
Sally Cudmore s.cudmore_at_ucc.ie Tel [phone]
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Setting the scene

• What would you do if you were faced with the
  following scenario
• You manage a large manufacturing facility making
  a single commodity product that is the market
  leader
• The facility you manage contributes 350M profit
  annually to the companys bottom line
• Suddenly and for no apparent reason the product
  quality deteriorates alarmingly
• Angry customers are calling daily threatening to
  go elsewhere and to sue you for consequential
  claims
• You have less than 48h to find a solution or you
  will be replaced!

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Does it apply to you?

• This is an extreme example of what confronts
  industry almost daily. It has similarities to
  what you, as a PhD student, may face - why so?
• You have a daunting project that you are expected
  to manage efficiently and effectively
• The project may be part of a larger program that
  is dependent on external funds for ongoing
  support
• There is a time limitation - 3-4 years
• There is a cost involved - success or failure
• There is a limited budget
• Your supervisor may become the angry customer

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1999-2002 Pharmaceutical Industry Elan
BioTechnology, Trinity College, Dublin -
Group Leader Cell Biology programme - Research
Project Leader in Gene Delivery (joint venture
with Targeted Genetics, Seattle)
Project team Project leader biologists,
formulator, analyst, pre-clinical
Project manager Project Reporting Monthly, Q
meetings, Annual Annual Elan Resource Meetings
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Airline Industry example
25 minutes for plane turnaround
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Why plan?

• Your PhD project is yours you are responsible
• Defines your project at the outset, to avoid
  surprises later
• Reduces risk of overlooking something important
• Indicates what is feasible within timeframe
• Helps to realise when difficulties may arise
• Shows relationships between activities/resources
• Orders activities, so all do not happen at once
• Provides discipline and motivation by indicating
  targets and milestones measures of progress
• Facilitates monitoring a project for overruns and
  overspend
• Allows you to manage an over-abundance of
  imagination, inspiration, motivation and
  intellect into a defined and coherent outpouring!!

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How do you plan your project?

• Evaluate your project constraints
• Plan your stages of project
• Initiation
• Planning
• Execution
• Monitoring
• Completion/closing
• 3. Use project management tools

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1. Evaluate project constraints
Project management triangle
Scope - Define the project this can be hard for
research projects. Beware of shifting goalposts
or scope creep Schedule/Time - Estimate x 1.5!
For a PhD, 3-4 years Cost - (consumables/staff/
equipment) Quality High quality results that
you can publish, high quality thesis
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Over half of projects cost twice as much as
originally planned, or take twice as longor
both! Project success is usually determined in
the first month
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Some useful PM definitions

• Project a sequence of activities designed to
  achieve a specific outcome within a defined
  budget and time limit
• Project plan written description of the work
  needed to complete a project, including
  description of tasks, organisation and management
• Schedule timing of all tasks to be performed
• Deadline time point by which deliverables must
  be produced
• Objectives Specific, measurable description of
  what is to be achieved
• Goals what is to be achieved e.g. PhD
• Deliverables Clearly defined outputs from
  project e.g. publication, technique
• Milestone end of a stage that marks the
  completion of a work package (i.e. deadline or a
  natural point in the research where you can
  assess your progress, ideally at least every 6
  months)
• Stage gate a point at which a Yes/No decision to
  continue is made
• FTE Full time equivalent

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2. Stages of Project Management
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Stages of a PhD Project

• Initiation
• University and supervisor selection
• Project selection
• (Apply for funding)
• Registration
• Identify management structure (student/supervisor
  roles, reporting/meeting arrangements)
• Evaluate project constraints time, budget,
  scope

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• Planning
• Define of research objectives and scope
• Literature Review/Prepare proposal
• If possible, identify broad outline of thesis
  chapters
• Define SMART deliverables and milestones of your
  PhD
• Identify any training needed
• List tasks and activities consider scheduling,
  timing duration of tasks
• Long term plan (3-4years) - top level
• Short term plan (3mo) - detailed

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SMART deliverables
Specific well-defined and clear Measurable can
determine if progress is being achieved Agreed a
greed with all supervisors Realistic achievable
within resources, knowledge and
time Time-framed realistic schedule
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• 3. Execution of tasks
• Doing research, data collection, experiments,
  storage, analysis and interpretation of data,
  development of prototype.
• Regular meetings with supervisor, thesis
  committee
• Writing papers
• Local presentations, journal clubs
• Conferences
• Networking
• Demonstration/teaching experience
• Completion of necessary course work look for
  training outside your immediate area of interest,
  that adds to your CV
• Patenting, if relevant
• Considering career options
• Stay flexible

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• 4. Monitoring
• Monitoring your progress
• Monitoring other publications
• Detecting and addressing deviations from
  objectives, schedule and quality (with
  supervisor, thesis committees etc.) stay
  flexible
• Defining possible new tasks/change of direction
  and impact on timelines

• 5. Completion
• Production of deliverables of adequate quality on
  time
• Writing, editing and submission of thesis
• Finish publications
• Examinations
• Graduation and celebration!

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Plan your risks - Believe in Murphy What can go
wrong, will! So plan for it! Be flexible
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3. Project Management Tools

• Keep an up to date lab notebook, with plenty of
  detail
• APC uses eNovator electronic lab notebook
  system
• Use a diary to plan/schedule e.g. Microsoft
  Outlook, or a hard diary
• A. Microsoft project Gantt charts
• or Excel (http//pubs.logicalexpressions.com
  /pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID343)
• B. Endnote bibliography and file management
• UCC Computer Training Centre provides training on
  all of these
• http//www.ucc.ie/en/tcentre/Timetables/

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Sample Gantt chart
.                                               
                                                  
                                    
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Endnote
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Other tips on time management

• Dont procrastinate
• Dont reinvent the wheel ask people for advice
• Ask yourself what wastes your time and try and
  figure out how to avoid that happening again
• Remember that 80 of a task often requires 20 of
  your time, while the last 20 can require 80 of
  the time
• Know your deadlines and have a plan to deal with
  them
• Have agendas for meetings and minute action
  points
• Have clear objectives for your activities
• Keep to do lists and/or diary
• Learn about planning tools like GANNT charts

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Reasons for project failure
Lack of clear vision Lack of communication Lack
of flexibility Lack of creativity
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Other advice

• Exert more effort in the planning phase
• Work hard early the 50/30/20 and not the
  20/30/50 rule
• Be absolutely ruthless in managing time
• Write (papers or chapters) when in the mood and
  as soon as possible
• Understand that not all experiments or approaches
  will be successful
• Keep a balance between work more likely to
  succeed and that which has high inherent risk
• Enjoyotherwise it will be a long, hard slog!

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Other advice.cont.
-Always think of your CV (e.g. teaching
experience, communications skills, publications,
committees, management courses) -Read, read and
read particularly e.g. New Scientist you are
attempting a doctorate in philosophy, not just
chemistry/microbiology -Ensure a good life
balance -Postdoc - Move away from your PhD
university, and ideally country!
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Useful reading

• http//openlearn.open.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?
  id173173
• http//www.endnote.com/