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6 - Tools for managing research projects

from Part I - Becoming an independent researcher

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 November 2011

Barbara J. Gabrys  and
Jane A. Langdale
Barbara J. Gabrys
Affiliation:
University of Oxford
Jane A. Langdale
Affiliation:
University of Oxford
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Summary

Successful scientists have to be able to organise research projects. Scientific projects can be efficiently organised using tools developed for management practice, at the small cost of seeing beyond the language. It is vital to clearly set out the various stages of a project, and developing a work breakdown structure (WBS) is often the first stage. A well written WBS can then be used to produce Gantt and PERT charts to monitor project progress. This approach is illustrated here using proprietary software (Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Project) and examples from materials science.

The theory

All projects have a beginning, a middle and an end, with stages that can be classified as in Fig. 6.1.

Notably, project outcomes are never written in stone – they are anticipated at the start of the project but are often modified as the project progresses. This is accepted as an inherent property of every project, a property that emphasises the need for flexibility at the detailed planning stage, and for monitoring and control throughout. This is true both for scientific and generic projects.

Type
Chapter
Information
How to Succeed as a Scientist
From Postdoc to Professor
 , pp. 58 - 67
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2011

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References

Brown, M. 2002 Successful Project Management in a WeekLondonHodder & StoughtonGoogle Scholar
Lewis, J. P. 2001 Project Planning, Scheduling, and Control: A Hands-on Guide to Bringing Projects in on Time and on BudgetLondonMcGraw-HillGoogle Scholar

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