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Research Project Management: 5 Project Management Tips for Researchers

Effective planning and a management of resources are essential prerequisites required for proper research project management and the successful completion of research projects. However, one of the biggest challenges researchers face while accomplishing these tasks is that these projects usually have varying lengths and unpredictable outcomes, so the research management techniques need to be redeveloped with every new project.

As a scientist, one is more inclined toward understanding the science and, hence, the leadership and organizational skills required for research project management need to be consciously acquired along the way. Furthermore, the ‘scientist mindset’ of adapting to unpredictability by making rapid changes in existing protocols can clash heavily with the ‘manager mindset’ of ensuring these changes align with the availability of resources. 1  Therefore, it’s understandable that many young researchers struggle with how to manage research projects, especially during the initial stages of their academic journey, often finding it difficult to incorporate such research management techniques.

If you are among those wondering how to manage your research projects effectively, this article will provide you with some useful tips to help you improve your research project management skills. But before having a closer look at these, let us have a short recap of the different aspects that are often associated with the successful management of any project.

Every new project ideally begins with preparation of a roadmap or a personal guide, which can be modified as required for the entire duration of the project. Here are some key steps that can help in better preparation of a roadmap for research project management. 2

Initiation and planning- The first step for research project management is typically defined as the initiation stage. In this stage, the feasibility of the project is assessed with respect to the different experiments to be performed and the availability of resources required for their completion. If any part of the project needs collaborative effort to be completed, an important research management technique would be to identify the relevant people required at this stage itself. The initiation stage is followed by the planning stage, which includes the preparation of necessary protocols, allocation of resources, and informing personnel involved about their specific roles and responsibilities.

Risk management- After the initiation and planning stage is complete, the next step in research project management is to identify potential roadblocks that may occur during the implementation of the roadmap and devise strategies to resolve them. This may include revisiting insufficiently standardized protocols and reconsidering the use of techniques depending on the limited availability of resources. Risk identification and mitigation planning saves time and ensures a smooth workflow and is, therefore, an essential component for effective research project management.

In spite of a perfectly planned project roadmap on paper, many researchers struggle to execute these research management techniques. This can be frustrating and demotivating for researchers, but there are some simple solutions that can be implemented to overcome these struggles and ensure successful research project management.

• Identify your core issue

If you’re struggling with implementing the roadmap in the desired manner, the first step or research management technique is to identify the core issue. For some researchers, the problems could range from a technical error that needs troubleshooting or a miscalculation while acknowledging the risks involved while preparing the roadmap. Identifying the core issue that is blocking the execution and finding solutions for it is an important aspect of improving your research project management skills.

• Simplify your timelines

To ensure a smooth workflow under any circumstances, a great research management technique would be to break down your envisioned timeline (especially when they involve new protocols) into smaller timelines with more attainable goals. This will allow you to revisit the ‘original’ roadmap on a more regular basis and ensure the better management of the funds and resources available.

• Refrain from perfectionism

Research is ‘work in progress’ and the outcome of any experiment may not always be the one that you envisioned in the roadmap. So how to manage such research projects? It is helpful to lower any expectations regarding a ‘perfect’ outcome; accepting ‘negative’ results and the learnings that come along with it is a critical research management technique. When one does not chase perfectionism, it becomes easier to accept and adapt to unpredictability, eventually leading to effective research project management and the successful completion of the project. 3

• Engage in regular communication with stakeholders

An important, yet underrated component of effective research project management is engaging in regular communication with all the relevant stakeholders. Whether it is the personnel involved directly in your project such as your advisor, peers, technicians or indirect stakeholders such as the funding agencies, it is important to keep the communication lines open at all times. Short meetings scheduled at defined intervals for the entire duration of the project is a good research management technique to discuss progress, pace, and troubleshooting strategies would help bring everyone on the same page regarding the outcome of the project.

• Maintain a record sheet for effective allocation of funds

If your project is funded by organizations that have stringent protocols regarding budget consumption, you need to pay extra attention to how you are using the funds. Using digital tools to maintain a record sheet as part of your research project management reduces your work load and makes it easier and convenient to share your spends with stakeholders whenever the need arises.

Lastly, before embarking upon any project, it is always important to get an external perspective on different aspects that are involved in the project. Discussing the roadmap with someone who is not directly involved in your project provides an objective overview and helps in better identification of loopholes, making it an important aspect of effective research project management.

We hope these research project management tips were useful and relevant in answering how to manage a research project, and will help you strengthen your research management techniques.

• Project Management for Scientists, Part 1: An Overview. https://www.science.org/content/article/project-management-scientists-part-1-overview.
• Project Management Tips for Researchers. ASM.org https://asm.org/Articles/2019/January/Project-Management-Tips-for-Researchers.
• 10 Project Management Tips for Non-Project Managers. Northeastern University Graduate Programs https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/project-management-tips/ (2019).

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How to use a project management approach to help run research projects

Jon Gunnell explains how to adopt the PRINCE2 project management method to help overcome the many challenges of running a multi-year research project

Jon Gunnell

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.css-1txxx8u{overflow:hidden;max-height:81px;text-indent:0px;} It’s time: how to get your department off X

Deepfakes are coming for education. be prepared, campus webinar: the evolution of interdisciplinarity, emotions and learning: what role do emotions play in how and why students learn, relieve student boredom by ‘activating’ lectures.

Academics face numerous pressures on their time even before managing the process of, for example, a five-year research project that needs to deliver real-world benefits.

Such a project at the University of Sheffield’s School of Law – titled Fortitude and funded by the European Research Council – aims to improve the “legal capability” of children in the UK. The project’s ultimate goal is to create gamified learning for children aged from three to 15 that will help them deal with legal issues they encounter in their everyday lives. For example, how does a child engage with a shop assistant who gives them incorrect change?

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It is crucial – and difficult – for an academic team to ensure that a project like this is managed effectively and delivers its objectives. Managing research involves responsibility for other academics who, while accustomed to working independently, may be less familiar with delivering the outputs a project needs – and within a specific deadline. Plus, there may be a requirement to translate theoretical materials into something meaningful in the “real world” – in our case, devising gamified learning that children will use.

Adopting a project management approach in an academic setting – such as the PRINCE2 method , originally devised by the UK government to improve public sector project success and now used worldwide – can address the challenges of running a multi-year research project and avoid overwhelming academic teams.

Project management: the right discipline for managing research projects

A project – according to the PRINCE2 project management method – is defined as ‘‘a temporary organisation that is created for the purpose of delivering one or more business products according to an agreed business case’’.

Having a method to manage this entity means you have a safe and robust framework to operate in. It also helps ensure creativity and effective communication between team members. This is important because, without it, people tend to work in isolation. With a project management structure – including regular team meetings where people discuss problems and identify solutions – a team collaborates and tasks become actions and outputs.

The value of using a best practice method

Best practice project management methods such as PRINCE2 are the result of experts combining knowledge, experience and proven techniques gained from running various projects around the world.

Therefore, by either hiring a qualified project manager to run an academic research project, or training a relevant team member in the method, your project will be run according to clear principles:

− Defined project roles and responsibilities, which means people have clarity and there is less risk of just muddling through.

− A focus on deliverables (products or outputs), which ensures that everyone knows what the project aims to deliver.

− A business case to ensure that the project remains viable during its lifetime.

− Assurance, troubleshooting and audits to keep things on track.

− Learning and continuous improvement to avoid repeating mistakes and enhance quality.

− The ability to work with both an “agile” delivery approach (an evolving way of working involving regular testing and feedback) and a traditional “waterfall” project approach (linear and based on a plan agreed up front). For example, while our overall project approach is waterfall, briefing gaming companies to develop digital games for children is better handled with agile. But in either case, project management provides structure and control.

The key elements in PRINCE2 that help the research management process

There are numerous ways of working outlined in PRINCE2 that can support the management of a research project. These include:

1. The project plan

Having a project plan from the outset helps identify what a long-term project will look like, but with flexibility, as things might change. It also means that everyone involved can see the key milestones throughout the project.

2. Business case

Developing and revisiting a business case ensures that the project either remains viable or otherwise closes. In our project, this involved completing the European Research Council Grant Agreement: a document that brings together all the information necessary to obtain funding for the research project. On an annual basis, we also need to provide financial and scientific reports that outline what’s been spent, what’s been achieved and what’s planned.

3. Project benefits

Identifying benefits acknowledges that a successful project should change something for the better. In a research management context, that could mean discovering something groundbreaking.

4. Specifying business requirements

Identifies what the project requires for success and helps when tendering for suppliers. In our case, we’re now going out to tender with gaming companies to produce digital or physical games for children based on our research. Therefore, we have produced a specification document for the requirements.

5. Identifying risks

Pinpointing risks means anticipating what could impede the project and allows a project manager to find ways of minimising the risks and keeping stakeholders informed. For our project, we have a risk log that captures factors such as teachers’ strikes, which might mean school participants are unavailable at a crucial point. This helps us to replan an activity and keep the project on schedule.

6. Engaging stakeholders

Knowing who the project stakeholders are, mapping them according to their importance and agreeing how to interact with them ensures that they remain engaged throughout. For us, that can include internal stakeholders, such as the head of department in the university and external stakeholders, such as schools, who can support the project – and knowing how often we need to engage with them.

7. Developing a communication plan

Having different methods and channels to communicate with stakeholders is vital to demonstrate the work you’re doing and to share results and learnings. For example, we’ve communicated research findings and successes of the project periodically when attending external conferences and academic events at the university.

8. Regular, formal reporting

Delivering regular reports to a research project’s funding body might cover the latest research findings and how you are managing the budget. Without such reports, your funding could be at risk.

9. Documenting lessons learned

This helps the project team to reflect on different activities and how they could be improved next time. Questioning and capturing what’s gone well, what hasn’t and what you would do differently is also important for future projects.

How a project management method improves project outcomes

A project’s purpose is to deliver something new that will benefit an organisation or department. In other words, provide a positive outcome. In our case, having a project management method in place has helped us to deliver:

− An ethics approach for the project that meets both the University of Sheffield’s and the European Research Council’s requirements.

− A child-centred framework to measure legal capability, developed through research with children from a number of our partner schools.

− A GDPR approach that meets the requirements of the university and ensures the security of all personal data.

− A project website, which we have used as our key channel of communication for both project participants and stakeholders.

Replicating the value of project management in your institution

By including a project manager at the bid stage of a research project, the academic team can get dedicated support for the development of a project plan, which could then accompany their funding bid. And by sharing lessons learned and experiences gained across an institution, this can become the basis for developing and embedding best practice project management within any future projects.

Jon Gunnell is project manager at the University of Sheffield School of Law, UK.

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Managing Ideas, People, and Projects: Organizational Tools and Strategies for Researchers

Samuel pascal levin.

1 Beverly, MA 01915, USA

Michael Levin

2 Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Suite 4600, 200 Boston Avenue, Medford, MA 02155-4243, USA

Primary Investigators at all levels of their career face a range of challenges related to optimizing their activity within the constraints of deadlines and productive research. These range from enhancing creative thought and keeping track of ideas to organizing and prioritizing the activity of the members of the group. Numerous tools now exist that facilitate the storage and retrieval of information necessary for running a laboratory to advance specific project goals within associated timelines. Here we discuss strategies and tools/software that, together or individually, can be used as is or adapted to any size scientific laboratory. Specific software products, suggested use cases, and examples are shown across the life cycle from idea to publication. Strategies for managing the organization of, and access to, digital information and planning structures can greatly facilitate the efficiency and impact of an active scientific enterprise. The principles and workflow described here are applicable to many different fields.

Graphical Abstract

Information Systems; Knowledge Management

Introduction

Researchers, at all stages of their careers, are facing an ever-increasing deluge of information and deadlines. Additional difficulties arise when one is the Principal Investigator (PI) of those researchers: as group size and scope of inquiry increases, the challenges of managing people and projects and the interlocking timelines, finances, and information pertaining to those projects present a continuous challenge. In the immediate term, there are experiments to do, papers and grants to write, and presentations to construct, in addition to teaching and departmental duties. At the same time, however, the PI must make strategic decisions that will impact the future direction(s) of the laboratory and its personnel. The integration of deep creative thought together with the practical steps of implementing a research plan and running a laboratory on a day-to-day basis is one of the great challenges of the modern scientific enterprise. Especially difficult is the fact that attention needs to span many orders of scale, from decisions about which problems should be pursued by the group in the coming years and how to tackle those problems to putting out regular “fires” associated with the minutiae of managing people and limited resources toward the committed goals.

The planning of changes in research emphasis, hiring, grant-writing, etc. likewise occur over several different timescales. The optimization of resources and talent toward impactful goals requires the ability to organize, store, and rapidly access information that is integrated with project planning structures. Interestingly, unlike other fields such as business, there are few well-known, generally accepted guidelines for best practices available to researchers. Here we lay out a conceptual taxonomy of the life cycle of a project, from brainstorming ideas through to a final deliverable product. We recommend methods and software/tools to facilitate management of concurrent research activities across the timeline. The goal is to optimize the organization, storage, and access to the necessary information in each phase, and, crucially, to facilitate the interconnections between static information, action plans, and work product across all phases. We believe that the earlier in the career of a researcher such tools are implemented and customized, the more positive impact they will exert on the productivity of their enterprise.

This overview is intended for anyone who is conducting research or academic scholarship. It consists of a number of strategies and software recommendations that can be used together or independently (adapted to suit a given individual's or group's needs). Some of the specific software packages mentioned are only usable on Apple devices, but similar counterparts exist in the Windows and Linux ecosystems; these are indicated in Table 1 (definitions of special terms are given in Table 2 ). These strategies were developed (and have been continuously updated) over the last 20 years based on the experiences of the Levin group and those of various collaborators and other productive researchers. Although very specific software and platforms are indicated, to facilitate the immediate and practical adoption by researchers at all levels, the important thing is the strategies illustrated by the examples. As software and hardware inevitably change over the next few years, the fundamental principles can be readily adapted to newer products.

Software Packages and Alternatives

A Glossary of Special Terms

Basic Principles

Although there is a huge variety of different types of scientific enterprises, most of them contain one or more activities that can be roughly subsumed by the conceptual progression shown in Figure 1 . This life cycle progresses from brainstorming and ideation through planning, execution of research, and then creation of work products. Each stage requires unique activities and tools, and it is crucial to establish a pipeline and best practices that enable the results of each phase to effectively facilitate the next phase. All of the recommendations given below are designed to support the following basic principles:

• • Information should be easy to find and access, so as to enable the user to have to remember as little as possible—this keeps the mind free to generate new, creative ideas. We believe that when people get comfortable with not having to remember any details and are completely secure in the knowledge that the information has been offloaded to a dependable system and will be there when they need it, a deeper, improved level of thinking can be achieved.
• • Information should be both organized hierarchically (accessible by drill-down search through a rational structure) and searchable by keywords.
• • Information should be reachable from anywhere in the world (but secure and access restricted). Choose software that includes a cell phone/tablet platform client.
• • No information should ever be lost—the systems are such that additional information does not clog up or reduce efficiency of use and backup strategies ensure disaster robustness; therefore, it is possible to save everything.
• • Software tools optimized for specific management tasks should be used; select those tools based on interoperability, features, and the ability to export into common formats (such as XML) in case it becomes expedient someday to switch to a newer product.
• • One's digital world should be organized into several interlocking categories, which utilize different tools: activity (to-dos, projects, research goals) and knowledge (static information).
• • One's activity should be hierarchically organized according to a temporal scale, ranging from immediate goals all the way to career achievement objectives and core mission.
• • Storage of planning data should allow integration of plans with the information needed to implement them (using links to files and data in the various tools).
• • There should be no stored paper—everything should be obtained and stored in a digital form (or immediately digitized, using one of the tools described later in this document).
• • The information management tasks described herein should not occupy so much time as to take away from actual research. When implemented correctly, they result in a net increase in productivity.

The Life Cycle of Research Activity

Various projects occupy different places along a typical timeline. The life cycle extends from creative ideation to gathering information, to formulating a plan, to the execution for the plan, and then to producing a work product such as a grant or paper based on the results. Many of these phases necessitate feedback to a prior phase, shown in thinner arrows (for example, information discovered during a literature search or attempts to formalize the work plan may require novel brainstorming). This diagram shows the product (end result) of each phase and typical tools used to accomplish them.

These basic principles can be used as the skeleton around which specific strategies and new software products can be deployed. Whenever possible, these can be implemented via external administration services (i.e., by a dedicated project manager or administrator inside the group), but this is not always compatible with budgetary constraints, in which case they can readily be deployed by each principal investigator. The PIs also have to decide whether they plan to suggest (or insist) that other people in the group also use these strategies, and perhaps monitor their execution. In our experience, it is most essential for anyone leading a complex project or several to adopt these methods (typically, a faculty member or senior staff scientist), whereas people tightly focused on one project and with limited concurrent tasks involving others (e.g., Ph.D. students) are not essential to move toward the entire system (although, for example, the backup systems should absolutely be ensured to be implemented among all knowledge workers in the group). The following are some of the methods that have proven most effective in our own experience.

Information Technology Infrastructure

Several key elements should be pillars of your Information Technology (IT) infrastructure ( Figure 2 ). You should be familiar enough with computer technology that you can implement these yourself, as it is rare for an institutional IT department to be able to offer this level of assistance. Your primary disk should be a large (currently, ∼2TB) SSD drive or, better, a disk card (such as the 2TB SSD NVMe PCIe) for fast access and minimal waiting time. Your computer should be so fast that you spend no time (except in the case of calculations or data processing) waiting for anything—your typing and mouse movement should be the rate-limiting step. If you find yourself waiting for windows or files to open, obtain a better machine.

Schematic of Data Flow and Storage

Three types of information: data (facts and datasets), action plans (schedules and to-do lists), and work product (documents) all interact with each other in defining a region of work space for a given research project. All of this should be hosted on a single PC (personal computer). It is accessed by a set of regular backups of several types, as well as by the user who can interact with raw files through the file system or with organized data through a variety of client applications that organize information, schedules, and email. See Table 2 for definitions of special terms.

One key element is backups—redundant copies of your data. Disks fail—it is not a question of whether your laptop or hard drive will die, but when. Storage space is inexpensive and researchers' time is precious: team members should not tolerate time lost due to computer snafus. The backup and accessibility system should be such that data are immediately recoverable following any sort of disaster; it only has to be set up once, and it only takes one disaster to realize the value of paranoia about data. This extends also to laboratory inventory systems—it is useful to keep (and back up) lists of significant equipment and reagents in the laboratory, in case they are needed for the insurance process in case of loss or damage.

The main drive should be big enough to keep all key information (not primary laboratory data, such as images or video) in one volume—this is to facilitate cloning. You should have an extra internal drive (which can be a regular disk) of the same size or bigger. Use something like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper to set up a nightly clone operation. When the main disk fails (e.g., the night before a big grant is due), boot from the clone and your exact, functioning system is ready to go. For Macs, another internal drive set up as a Time Machine enables keeping versions of files as they change. You should also have an external drive, which is likewise a Time Machine or a clone: you can quickly unplug it and take it with you, if the laboratory has to be evacuated (fire alarm or chemical emergency) or if something happens to your computer and you need to use one elsewhere. Set a calendar reminder once a month to check that the Time Machine is accessible and can be searched and that your clone is actually updated and bootable. A Passport-type portable drive is ideal when traveling to conferences: if something happens to the laptop, you can boot a fresh (or borrowed) machine from the portable drive and continue working. For people who routinely install software or operating system updates, I also recommend getting one disk that is a clone of the entire system and applications and then set it to nightly clone the data only , leaving the operating system files unchanged. This guarantees that you have a usable system with the latest data files (useful in case an update or a new piece of software renders the system unstable or unbootable and it overwrites the regular clone before you notice the problem). Consider off-site storage. CrashPlan Pro is a reasonable choice for backing up laboratory data to the cloud. One solution for a single person's digital content is to have two extra external hard drives. One gets a clone of your office computer, and one is a clone of your home computer, and then you swap—bring the office one home and the home one to your office. Update them regularly, and keep them swapped, so that should a disaster strike one location, all of the data are available. Finally, pay careful attention (via timed reminders) to how your laboratory machines and your people's machines are being backed up; a lot of young researchers, especially those who have not been through a disaster yet, do not make backups. One solution is to have a system like CrashPlan Pro installed on everyone's machines to do automatic backup.

Another key element is accessibility of information. Everyone should be working on files (i.e., Microsoft Word documents) that are inside a Dropbox or Box folder; whatever you are working on this month, the files should be inside a folder synchronized by one of these services. That way, if anything happens to your machine, you can access your files from anywhere in the world. It is critical that whatever service is chosen, it is one that s ynchronizes a local copy of the data that live on your local machine (not simply keeps files in the cloud) —that way, you have what you need even if the internet is down or connectivity is poor. Tools that help connect to your resources while on the road include a VPN (especially useful for secure connections while traveling), SFTP (to transfer files; turn on the SFTP, not FTP, service on your office machine), and Remote Desktop (or VNC). All of these exist for cell phone or tablet devices, as well as for laptops, enabling access to anything from anywhere. All files (including scans of paper documents) should be processed by OCR (optical character recognition) software to render their contents searchable. This can be done in batch (on a schedule), by Adobe Acrobat's OCR function, which can be pointed to an entire folder of PDFs, for example, and left to run overnight. The result, especially with Apple's Spotlight feature, is that one can easily retrieve information that might be written inside a scanned document.

Here, we focus on work product and the thought process, not management of the raw data as it emerges from equipment and experimental apparatus. However, mention should be made of electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs), which are becoming an important aspect of research. ELNs are a rapidly developing field, because they face a number of challenges. A laboratory that abandons paper notebooks entirely has to provide computer interfaces anywhere in the facility where data might be generated; having screens, keyboards, and mice at every microscope or other apparatus station, for example, can be expensive, and it is not trivial to find an ergonomically equivalent digital substitute for writing things down in a notebook as ideas or data appear. On the other hand, keeping both paper notebooks for immediate recording, and ELNs for organized official storage, raises problems of wasted effort during the (perhaps incomplete) transfer of information from paper to the digital version. ELNs are also an essential tool to prevent loss of institutional knowledge as team members move up to independent positions. ELN usage will evolve over time as input devices improve and best practices are developed to minimize the overhead of entering meta-data. However, regardless of how primary data are acquired, the researcher will need specific strategies for transitioning experimental findings into research product in the context of a complex set of personal, institutional, and scientific goals and constraints.

Facilitating Creativity

The pipeline begins with ideas, which must be cultivated and then harnessed for subsequent implementation ( Altshuller, 1984 ). This step consists of two components: identifying salient new information and arranging it in a way that facilitates novel ideas, associations, hypotheses, and strategic plans for making impact.

For the first step, we suggest an automated weekly PubCrawler search, which allows Boolean searches of the literature. Good searches to save include ones focusing on specific keywords of interest, as well as names of specific people whose work one wants to follow. The resulting weekly email of new papers matching specific criteria complements manual searches done via ISI's Web of Science, Google Scholar, and PubMed. The papers of interest should be immediately imported into a reference manager, such as Endnote, along with useful Keywords and text in the Notes field of each one that will facilitate locating them later. Additional tools include DevonAgent and DevonSphere, which enable smart searches of web and local resources, respectively.

Brainstorming can take place on paper or digitally (see later discussion). We have noticed that the rate of influx of new ideas is increased by habituating to never losing a new idea. This can be accomplished by establishing a voicemail contact in your cell phone leading to your own office voicemail (which allows voice recordings of idea fragments while driving or on the road, hands-free) and/or setting up Endnote or a similar server-synchronized application to record (and ideally transcribe) notes. It has been our experience that the more one records ideas arising in a non-work setting, the more often they will pop up automatically. For notes or schematics written on paper during dedicated brainstorming, one tool that ensures that nothing is lost is an electronic pen. For example, the Livescribe products are well integrated with Evernote and ensure that no matter where you are, anything you write down becomes captured in a form accessible from anywhere and are safe no matter what happens to the original notebook in which they were written.

Enhancing scientific thought, creative brainstorming, and strategic planning is facilitated by the creation of mind maps: visual representations of spatial structure of links between concepts, or the mapping of planned activity onto goals of different timescales. There are many available mind map software packages, including MindNode; their goal is to enable one to quickly set down relationships between concepts with a minimum of time spent on formatting. Examples are shown in Figures 3 A and 3B. The process of creating these mind maps (which can then be put on one's website or discussed with the laboratory members) helps refine fuzzy thinking and clarifies the relationships between concepts or activities. Mind mappers are an excellent tool because their light, freeform nature allows unimpeded brainstorming and fluid changes of idea structure but at the same time forces one to explicitly test out specific arrangements of plans or ideas.

Mind Mapping

(A and B) The task of schematizing concepts and ideas spatially based on their hierarchical relationships with each other is a powerful technique for organizing the creative thought process. Examples include (A), which shows how the different projects in our laboratory relate to each other. Importantly, it can also reveal disbalances or gaps in coverage of specific topics, as well as help identify novel relationships between sub-projects by placing them on axes (B) or even identify novel hypotheses suggested by symmetry.

(C) Relationships between the central nervous system (CNS) and regeneration, cancer, and embryogenesis. The connecting lines in black show typical projects (relationships) already being pursued by our laboratory, and the lack of a project in the space between CNS and embryogenesis suggests a straightforward hypothesis and project to examine the role of the brain in embryonic patterning.

It is important to note that mind maps can serve a function beyond explicit organization. In a good mapped structure, one can look for symmetries (revealing relationships that are otherwise not obvious) between the concepts involved. An obvious geometric pattern with a missing link or node can help one think about what could possibly go there, and often identifies new relationships or items that had not been considered ( Figure 3 C), in much the same way that gaps in the periodic table of the elements helped identify novel elements.

Organizing Information and Knowledge

The input and output of the feedback process between brainstorming and literature mining is information. Static information not only consists of the facts, images, documents, and other material needed to support a train of thought but also includes anything needed to support the various projects and activities. It should be accessible in three ways, as it will be active during all phases of the work cycle. Files should be arranged on your disk in a logical hierarchical structure appropriate to the work. Everything should also be searchable and indexed by Spotlight. Finally, some information should be stored as entries in a data management system, like Evernote or DevonThink, which have convenient client applications that make the data accessible from any device.

Notes in these systems should include useful lists and how-to's, including, for example:

• • Names and addresses of experts for specific topics
• • Emergency protocols for laboratory or animal habitats
• • Common recipes/methods
• • Lists and outlines of papers/grants on the docket
• • Information on students, computers, courses, etc.
• • Laboratory policies
• • Materials and advice for students, new group members, etc.
• • Lists of editors, and preferred media contacts
• • Lists of Materials Transfer Agreements (MTAs), contract texts, info on IP
• • Favorite questions for prospective laboratory members

Each note can have attachments, which include manuals, materials safety sheets, etc. DevonThink needs a little more setup but is more robust and also allows keeping the server on one's own machine (nothing gets uploaded to company servers, unlike with Evernote, which might be a factor for sensitive data). Scientific papers should be kept in a reference manager, whereas books (such as epub files and PDFs of books and manuscripts) can be stored in a Calibre library.

Email: A Distinct Kind of Information

A special case of static information is email, including especially informative and/or actionable emails from team members, external collaborators, reviewers, and funders. Because the influx of email is ever-increasing, it is important to (1) establish a good infrastructure for its management and (2) establish policies for responding to emails and using them to facilitate research. The first step is to ensure that one only sees useful emails, by training a good Bayesian spam filter such as SpamSieve. We suggest a triage system in which, at specific times of day (so that it does not interfere with other work), the Inbox is checked and each email is (1) forwarded to someone better suited to handling it, (2) responded quickly for urgent things that need a simple answer, or (3) started as a Draft email for those that require a thoughtful reply. Once a day or a couple of times per week, when circumstances permit focused thought, the Draft folder should be revisited and those emails answered. We suggest a “0 Inbox” policy whereby at the end of a day, the Inbox is basically empty, with everything either delegated, answered, or set to answer later.

We also suggest creating subfolders in the main account (keeping them on the mail server, not local to a computer, so that they can be searched and accessed from anywhere) as follows:

• • Collaborators (emails stating what they are going to do or updating on recent status)
• • Grants in play (emails from funding agencies confirming receipt)
• • Papers in play (emails from journals confirming receipt)
• • Waiting for information (emails from people for whom you are waiting for information)
• • Waiting for miscellaneous (emails from people who you expect to do something)
• • Waiting for reagents (emails from people confirming that they will be sending you a physical object)

Incoming emails belonging to those categories (for example, an email from an NIH program officer acknowledging a grant submission, a collaborator who emailed a plan of what they will do next, or someone who promised to answer a specific question) should be sorted from the Inbox to the relevant folder. Every couple of weeks (according to a calendar reminder), those folders should be checked, and those items that have since been dealt with can be saved to a Saved Messages folder archive, whereas those that remain can be Replied to as a reminder to prod the relevant person.

In addition, as most researchers now exchange a lot of information via email, the email trail preserves a record of relationships among colleagues and collaborators. It can be extremely useful, even years later, to be able to go back and see who said what to whom, what was the last conversation in a collaboration that stalled, who sent that special protocol or reagent and needs to be acknowledged, etc. It is imperative that you know where your email is being stored, by whom, and their policy on retention, storage space limits, search, backup, etc. Most university IT departments keep a mail server with limited storage space and will delete your old emails (even more so if you move institutions). One way to keep a permanent record with complete control is with an application called MailSteward Pro. This is a front-end client for a freely available MySQL server, which can run on any machine in your laboratory. It will import your mail and store unlimited quantities indefinitely. Unlike a mail server, this is a real database system and is not as susceptible to data corruption or loss as many other methods.

A suggested strategy is as follows. Keep every single email, sent and received. Every month (set a timed reminder), have MailSteward Pro import them into the MySQL database. Once a year, prune them from the mail server (or let IT do it on their own schedule). This allows rapid search (and then reply) from inside a mail client for anything that is less than one year old (most searches), but anything older can be found in the very versatile MailStewardPro Boolean search function. Over time, in addition to finding specific emails, this allows some informative data mining. Results of searches via MailStewardPro can be imported into Excel to, for example, identify the people with whom you most frequently communicate or make histograms of the frequency of specific keywords as a function of time throughout your career.

With ideas, mind maps, and the necessary information in hand, one can consider what aspects of the current operations plan can be changed to incorporate plans for new, impactful activity.

Organizing Tasks and Planning

A very useful strategy involves breaking down everything according to the timescales of decision-making, such as in the Getting Things Done (GTD) philosophy ( Figure 4 ) ( Allen, 2015 ). Activities range from immediate (daily) tasks to intermediate goals all the way to career-scale (or life-long) mission statements. As with mind maps, being explicit about these categories not only force one to think hard about important aspects of their work, but also facilitate the transmission of this information to others on the team. The different categories are to be revisited and revised at different rates, according to their position on the hierarchy. This enables you to make sure that effort and resources are being spent according to priorities.

Scales of Activity Planning

Activities should be assigned to a level of planning with a temporal scale, based on how often the goals of that level get re-evaluated. This ranges from core values, which can span an entire career or lifetime, all the way to tactics that guide day-to-day activities. Each level should be re-evaluated at a reasonable time frame to ensure that its goals are still consistent with the bigger picture of the level(s) above it and to help re-define the plans for the levels below it.

We also strongly recommend a yearly personal scientific retreat. This is not meant to be a vacation to “forget about work” but rather an opportunity for freedom from everyday minutiae to revisit, evaluate, and potentially revise future activity (priorities, action items) for the next few years. Every few years, take more time to re-map even higher levels on the pyramid hierarchy; consider what the group has been doing—do you like the intellectual space your group now occupies? Are your efforts having the kind of impact you realistically want to make? A formal diagram helps clarify the conceptual vision and identify gaps and opportunities. Once a correct level of activity has been identified, it is time to plan specific activities.

A very good tool for this purpose, which enables hierarchical storage of tasks and subtasks and their scheduling, is OmniFocus ( Figure 5 ). OmniFocus also enables inclusion of files (or links to files or links to Evernote notes of information) together with each Action. It additionally allows each action to be marked as “Done” once it is complete, providing not only a current action plan but a history of every past activity. Another interesting aspect is the fact that one can link individual actions with specific contexts: visualizing the database from the perspective of contexts enables efficient focus of attention on those tasks that are relevant in a specific scenario. OmniFocus allows setting reminders for specific actions and can be used for adding a time component to the activity.

Project Planning

This figure shows a screenshot of the OmniFocus application, illustrating the nested hierarchy of projects and sub-projects, arranged into larger groups.

The best way to manage time relative to activity (and to manage the people responsible for each activity) is to construct Gantt charts ( Figure 6 ), which can be used to plan out project timelines and help keep grant and contract deliverables on time. A critical feature is that it makes dependencies explicit, so that it is clear which items have to be solved/done before something else can be accomplished. Gantt charts are essential for complex, multi-person, and/or multi-step projects with strict deadlines (such as grant deliverables and progress reports). Software such as OmniPlanner can also be used to link resources (equipment, consumables, living material, etc.) with specific actions and timelines. Updating and evaluation of a Gantt chart for a specific project should take place on a time frame appropriate to the length of the next immediate phase; weekly or biweekly is typical.

Timeline Planning

This figure shows a screenshot of a typical Gantt chart, in OmniPlan software, illustrating the timelines of different project steps, their dependencies, and specific milestones (such as a due date for a site visit or grant submission). Note that Gantt software automatically moves the end date for each item if its subtasks' timing changes, enabling one to see a dynamically correct up-to-date temporal map of the project that adjusts for the real-world contingencies of research.

In addition to the comprehensive work plan in OmniFocus or similar, it is helpful to use a Calendar (which synchronizes to a server, such as Microsoft Office calendar with Exchange server). For yourself, make a task every day called “Monday tasks,” etc., which contains all the individual things to be accomplished (which do not warrant their own calendar reminder). First thing in the morning, one can take a look at the day's tasks to see what needs to be done. Whatever does not get done that day is to be copied onto another day's tasks. For each of the people on your team, make a timed reminder (weekly, for example, for those with whom you meet once a week) containing the immediate next steps for them to do and the next thing they are supposed to produce for your meeting. Have it with you when you meet, and give them a copy, updating the next occurrence as needed based on what was decided at the meeting to do next. This scheme makes it easy for you to remember precisely what needs to be covered in the discussion, serves as a record of the project and what you walked about with whom at any given day (which can be consulted years later, to reconstruct events if needed), and is useful to synchronize everyone on the same page (if the team member gets a copy of it after the meeting).

Writing: The Work Products

Writing, to disseminate results and analysis, is a central activity for scientists. One of the OmniFocus library's sections should contain lists of upcoming grants to write, primary papers that are being worked on, and reviews/hypothesis papers planned. Microsoft Word is the most popular tool for writing papers—its major advantage is compatibility with others, for collaborative manuscripts (its Track Changes feature is also very well implemented, enabling collaboration as a master document is passed from one co-author to another). But Scrivener should be seriously considered—it is an excellent tool that facilitates complex projects and documents because it enables WYSIWYG text editing in the context of a hierarchical structure, which allows you to simultaneously work on a detailed piece of text while seeing the whole outline of the project ( Figure 7 ).

Writing Complex Materials

This figure shows a screenshot from the Scrivener software. The panel on the left facilitates logical and hierarchical organization of a complex writing project (by showing where in the overall structure any given text would fit), while the editing pane on the right allows the user to focus on writing a specific subsection without having to scroll through (but still being able to see) the major categories within which it must fit.

It is critical to learn to use a reference manager—there are numerous ones, including, for example, Endnote, which will make it much easier to collaborate with others on papers with many citations. One specific tip to make collaboration easier is to ask all of the co-authors to set the reference manager to use PMID Accession Number in the temporary citations in the text instead of the arbitrary record number it uses by default. That way, a document can have its bibliography formatted by any of the co-authors even if they have completely different libraries. Although some prefer collaborative editing of a Google Doc file, we have found a “master document” system useful, in which a file is passed around among collaborators by email but only one can make (Tracked) edits at a time (i.e., one person has the master doc and everyone makes edits on top of that).

One task most scientists regularly undertake is writing reviews of a specific subfield (or Whitepapers). It is often difficult, when one has an assignment to write, to remember all of the important papers that were seen in the last few years that bear on the topic. One method to remedy this is to keep standing document files, one for each topic that one might plausibly want to cover and update them regularly. Whenever a good paper is found, immediately enter it into the reference manager (with good keywords) and put a sentence or two about its main point (with the citation) into the relevant document. Whenever you decide to write the review, you will already have a file with the necessary material that only remains to be organized, allowing you to focus on conceptual integration and not combing through literature.

The life cycle of research can be viewed through the lens of the tools used at different stages. First there are the conceptual ideas; many are interconnected, and a mind mapper is used to flesh out the structure of ideas, topics, and concepts; make it explicit; and share it within the team and with external collaborators. Then there is the knowledge—facts, data, documents, protocols, pieces of information that relate to the various concepts. Kept in a combination of Endnote (for papers), Evernote (for information fragments and lists), and file system files (for documents), everything is linked and cross-referenced to facilitate the projects. Activities are action items, based on the mind map, of what to do, who is doing what, and for which purpose/grant. OmniFocus stores the subtasks within tasks within goals for the PI and everyone in the laboratory. During meetings with team members, these lists and calendar entries are used to synchronize objectives with everyone and keep the activity optimized toward the next step goals. The product—discovery and synthesis—is embodied in publications via a word processor and reference manager. A calendar structure is used to manage the trajectory from idea to publication or grant.

The tools are currently good enough to enable individual components in this pipeline. Because new tools are continuously developed and improved, we recommend a yearly overview and analysis of how well the tools are working (e.g., which component of the management plan takes the most time or is the most difficult to make invisible relative to the actual thinking and writing), coupled to a web search for new software and updated versions of existing programs within each of the categories discussed earlier.

A major opportunity exists for software companies in the creation of integrated new tools that provide all the tools in a single integrated system. In future years, a single platform will surely appear that will enable the user to visualize the same research structure from the perspective of an idea mind map, a schedule, a list of action items, or a knowledge system to be queried. Subsequent development may even include Artificial Intelligence tools for knowledge mining, to help the researcher extract novel relationships among the content. These will also need to dovetail with ELN platforms, to enable a more seamless integration of project management with primary data. These may eventually become part of the suite of tools being developed for improving larger group dynamics (e.g., Microsoft Teams). One challenge in such endeavors is ensuring the compatibility of formats and management procedures across groups and collaborators, which can be mitigated by explicitly discussing choice of software and process, at the beginning of any serious collaboration.

Regardless of the specific software products used, a researcher needs to put systems in place for managing information, plans, schedules, and work products. These digital objects need to be maximally accessible and backed up, to optimize productivity. A core principle is to have these systems be so robust and lightweight as to serve as an “external brain” ( Menary, 2010 )—to maximize creativity and deep thought by making sure all the details are recorded and available when needed. Although the above discussion focused on the needs of a single researcher (perhaps running a team), future work will address the unique needs of collaborative projects with more lateral interactions by significant numbers of participants.

Acknowledgments

We thank Joshua Finkelstein for helpful comments on a draft of the manuscript. M.L. gratefully acknowledges support by an Allen Discovery Center award from the Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group (12171) and the Barton Family Foundation.

• Allen D. Revised edition. Penguin Books; 2015. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity. [ Google Scholar ]
• Altshuller G.S. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers; 1984. Creativity as an Exact Science: The Theory of the Solution of Inventive Problems. [ Google Scholar ]
• Menary R. MIT Press; 2010. The Extended Mind. [ Google Scholar ]

Project Management Research Topics: Breaking New Ground

According to a study by the Project Management Institute (PMI), a significant 11.4% of business investments go to waste due to subpar project performance.

That’s why students need to study project management in college - to move the progress further and empower businesses to perform better. It is crucial for students as it equips them with essential skills, including organization, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership, which are highly transferable and sought after in the professional world. It enhances their career prospects, teaches adaptability, and fosters a global perspective, preparing them for success in a diverse and rapidly evolving job market.

In this article, you will learn the definition of a project management research paper, discover 120 excellent topics and ideas, as well as receive pro tips regarding how to cope with such an assignment up to par. 

Definition of What is Project Management

Project management is the practice of planning, executing, controlling, and closing a specific project to achieve well-defined goals and meet specific success criteria. It involves efficiently allocating resources, including time, budget, and personnel, to ensure that a project is completed on time, within scope, and within budget while delivering the intended results or deliverables. 

Project management encompasses various methodologies, tools, and techniques to ensure that projects are successfully initiated, planned, executed, monitored, and completed in an organized and systematic manner.

Students can learn project management in colleges and universities, online courses, professional associations, specialized schools, and continuing education programs. Despite the type of institution, most students rely on an essay writing service to ensure their academic progress is positive.  

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What Is a Project Management Research Paper?

Project management research papers are academic documents that explore various aspects of project management as a field of study. These papers typically delve into specific topics, issues, or questions related to project management and aim to contribute new knowledge or insights to the discipline. Project management research papers often involve rigorous analysis, empirical research, and critical evaluation of existing theories or practices within the field.

Key elements of a project management research paper include:

• Research Question or Problem: Clearly defines the research question, problem, or topic the paper aims to address.
• Literature Review: A comprehensive review of existing literature, theories, and relevant studies related to the chosen topic.
• Methodology: Describing the research methods, such as surveys, case studies, interviews, or data analysis techniques.
• Data Collection and Analysis: If applicable, presenting and analyzing data to support the research findings.
• Discussion: An in-depth discussion of the research findings and their implications for the field of project management.
• Conclusion: Summarizing the key findings, their significance, and potential future research directions.

Project management research papers can cover various topics, from best practices in project management to emerging trends, challenges, and innovations in the field. They are a valuable resource for both academics and practitioners, offering insights that can inform project management practices and decision-making.

Project Management Research Topics Selection Tips

Selecting an appropriate topic for a project management research paper is crucial for the success of your research. Here are some tips to help you choose the right research topic:

• Start by considering your own interests and passion within the field of project management. 
• Choose a topic that has practical applications and can contribute to the discipline.
• Avoid overly broad topics. Instead, narrow down your focus to a specific aspect or issue within project management. 
• Seek guidance from your professors, academic advisors, or mentors. 
• Conduct a preliminary literature review to see what research has already been done in your area of interest. 
• Aim for originality by proposing a research topic or question that hasn't been extensively explored in the existing literature.
• Consider the feasibility of your research. Ensure your research is practical and achievable within your constraints.
• Clearly define your research questions or objectives. 
• Think about the practical applications of your research. 
• Ensure that your research topic and methodology adhere to ethical standards. 
• Think about the research methods you will use to investigate your topic. 
• Consider involving stakeholders from the industry, as their insights can provide practical relevance to your research.
• Keep in mind that your research may evolve as you delve deeper into the topic. 
• Be open to adapting your research questions and methodology if necessary.

By following these tips, you can select a project management research topic that is not only relevant and original but also feasible and well-aligned with your academic and career goals. Sounds challenging and time-consuming? Simply type ‘ write an essay for me ,’ and our experts will help you settle the matter. 

Best Project Management Research Topics and Ideas

Here is a list of the 50 best topics for a project management paper. These topics cover many project management areas, from traditional project management methodologies to emerging trends and challenges in the field. You can further refine and tailor these topics to match your specific research interests and objectives.

• Agile Project Management in Non-IT Industries.
• Risk Management Strategies for Large-Scale Projects.
• The Role of Leadership in Project Success.
• Sustainability Integration in Project Management.
• Challenges in Virtual Project Management.
• The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Project Management.
• Project Management Best Practices in Healthcare.
• Lean Project Management Principles.
• Project Portfolio Management in Multinational Corporations.
•  The Use of Blockchain in Project Management.
•  Cultural Diversity and Its Effects on Global Project Teams.
•  Managing Scope Creep in Project Management.
•  Project Management in Crisis Situations.
•  Agile vs. Waterfall: A Comparative Analysis.
•  Project Governance and Compliance.
•  Critical Success Factors in Public Sector Projects.
•  Benefits Realization Management in Project Management.
•  Agile Transformation in Traditional Organizations.
•  Project Management in the Digital Age.
•  Sustainable Project Procurement Practices.
•  The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Project Leadership.
•  Project Management in the Healthcare Industry.
•  Effective Communication in Virtual Project Teams.
•  Agile Project Management in Software Development.
•  The Impact of Project Management Offices (PMOs).
•  Project Management in the Construction Industry.
•  Project Risk Assessment and Mitigation.
•  IT Project Management Challenges and Solutions.
•  Project Management in Startups and Entrepreneurship.
•  Lean Six Sigma in Project Management.
•  Project Management Software Tools and Trends.
•  The Role of Change Management in Project Success.
•  Conflict Resolution in Project Teams.
•  Project Management in the Pharmaceutical Industry.
•  Scrum vs. Kanban: A Comparative Study. 
•  Managing Cross-Cultural Teams in International Projects.
•  The Future of Project Management: Trends and Forecasts.
•  Effective Resource Allocation in Project Management.
•  Project Procurement and Vendor Management.
•  Quality Assurance in Project Management.
•  Risk Assessment in IT Project Management.
•  Benefits and Challenges of Hybrid Project Management Models.
•  Agile Transformation in Large Organizations.
•  The Role of Data Analytics in Project Management.
•  Project Management for Non-Profit Organizations.
•  Continuous Improvement in Project Management.
•  The Impact of COVID-19 on Project Management Practices.
•  The Role of Project Management in Innovation.
•  Project Management in the Aerospace Industry.
•  The Influence of Project Management on Organizational Performance.

Simple Project Management Research Ideas

Here are 10 simple project management research ideas that can serve as a foundation for more in-depth research:

The Impact of Effective Communication on Project Success: Investigate how clear and efficient communication within project teams influences project outcomes.

Project Management Software Adoption and Its Effects: Examine the adoption of project management software tools and their impact on project efficiency and collaboration.

Factors Affecting Scope Creep in Project Management: Identify the key factors contributing to scope creep and explore strategies to prevent it.

The Role of Project Management Offices (PMOs) in Organizational Performance: Analyze the performance, improving project success rates and enhancing overall project management maturity.

Agile Project Management in Non-Software Industries: Study how Agile project management principles can be adapted and applied effectively in non-IT industries, such as manufacturing, healthcare, or construction.

Project Risk Management Strategies: Investigate the best practices and strategies for identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks in project management.

Stakeholder Engagement in Project Success: Explore the significance of stakeholder engagement and its impact on project outcomes, including scope, quality, and stakeholder satisfaction.

Project Management in Small Businesses: Analyze the unique challenges and opportunities of project management in small businesses and startups, considering resource constraints and growth objectives.

Sustainability Practices in Project Management: Investigate how project managers can integrate sustainability principles into project planning and execution, with a focus on environmental and social responsibility.

Change Management in Project Transitions: Examine the role of change management in ensuring smooth transitions between project phases or methodologies, such as moving from Waterfall to Agile.

Interesting Project Management Research Paper Topics

These research paper topics offer opportunities to explore diverse aspects of project management, from leadership and ethics to emerging technologies and global project dynamics.

• The Impact of Effective Communication on Project Success.
• Project Management Software Adoption and Its Effects.
• Factors Affecting Scope Creep in Project Management.
• The Role of Project Management Offices (PMOs) in Organizational Performance.
• Agile Project Management in Non-Software Industries.
• Project Risk Management Strategies.
• Stakeholder Engagement in Project Success.
• Project Management in Small Businesses and Startups.
• Sustainability Practices in Project Management.
•  Change Management in Project Transitions.

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Research Project Topics in Business Management

Here are ten research project topics in business management. They encompass various aspects of business management, from leadership and diversity to sustainability and emerging trends in the business world.

• The Impact of Leadership Styles on Employee Motivation and Productivity.
• Strategies for Enhancing Workplace Diversity and Inclusion.
• The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Effective Leadership.
• Sustainable Business Practices and Their Effects on Corporate Social Responsibility.
• Innovation and Technology Adoption in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs).
• Financial Management Strategies for Small Businesses and Startups.
• Effective Marketing Strategies in the Digital Age.
• The Challenges and Opportunities of Global Expansion for Multinational Corporations.
• Supply Chain Management in a Post-Pandemic World: Resilience and Adaptability.
•  Consumer Behavior and Market Trends in E-Commerce.

Software Project Management Dissertation Topics

These dissertation topics cover a range of critical issues and strategies in software project management, from risk management to AI integration and agile methodologies.

• Effective Software Project Risk Management Strategies.
• Agile vs. Waterfall: Comparative Analysis in Software Project Management.
• Requirements Management in Software Development Projects.
• The Role of DevOps in Accelerating Software Project Delivery.
• Software Project Management Challenges in Distributed and Remote Teams.
• Quality Assurance and Testing Practices in Software Project Management.
• Managing Scope Changes and Requirements Volatility in Software Projects.
• Vendor Management in Outsourced Software Development Projects.
• Project Portfolio Management in Software Organizations.
•  The Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Enhancing Software Project Management.

Remember that easy research paper topics might also be used to write a dissertation. Check them out as well!

Ten Construction Project Management Research Topics

Offering you ten research topics in construction project management, which delve into various aspects of construction project management, from sustainability and safety to technology adoption and stakeholder engagement.

• Optimizing Construction Project Scheduling and Time Management.
• Risk Assessment and Mitigation in Large-Scale Construction Projects.
• Green Building Practices and Sustainable Construction Management.
• The Role of Technology in Improving Construction Project Efficiency.
• Safety Management and Accident Prevention in Construction.
• Contract Management in Public Infrastructure Projects.
• Resource Allocation and Cost Control in Construction Project Management.
• The Impact of Lean Construction Principles on Project Delivery.
• Innovations in Prefabrication and Modular Construction Methods.
•  Stakeholder Collaboration and Communication in Complex Construction Projects.

Ten Outstanding Project Administration Ideas for Research Paper

Let’s gain insights into the key aspects and focus areas of each research paper topic in project administration. Researchers can further refine these 10 topics to address specific research questions and objectives. 

Innovative Strategies for Effective Project Communication and Collaboration: This topic explores innovative communication and collaboration methods that enhance project team coordination and overall project success. It may include the use of technology, virtual tools, or novel approaches to foster effective communication.

Integrating Sustainability into Project Management Practices: This research examines how project managers can incorporate sustainability principles into project planning, execution, and decision-making, contributing to environmentally and socially responsible project outcomes.

The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Project Leadership and Team Dynamics: This topic delves into the significance of emotional intelligence in project leadership, focusing on how emotional intelligence influences team dynamics, motivation, and project performance.

Agile Project Management in Non-Traditional Industries: Opportunities and Challenges: It explores adopting Agile project management methodologies outside the software development domain, discussing the opportunities and challenges of applying Agile in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, or construction.

Crisis Management and Resilience in Project Administration: This topic investigates crisis management strategies and the development of project resilience to navigate unexpected disruptions, disasters, and unexpected events affecting project progress.

The Impact of Change Management in Successful Project Implementation: It examines the critical role of change management in ensuring smooth transitions between project phases, methodologies, or organizational changes, contributing to project success.

Ethical Decision-Making in Project Management: Balancing Objectives and Integrity: This research delves into the ethical dilemmas and decision-making processes project managers face and explores frameworks for ethical behavior in project management.

Technology Integration and Digital Transformation in Project Administration: It discusses how the integration of technology, such as AI, IoT, and automation, is transforming project administration practices and improving efficiency and project outcomes.

Risk Management and Contingency Planning in Large-Scale Projects: This topic focuses on risk management strategies and the development of effective contingency plans to mitigate risks in complex, large-scale projects.

Project Governance and the Influence of Regulatory Compliance: It explores project governance structures, including the impact of regulatory compliance on project management, risk management, and decision-making processes. In case you need aid with complex senior year papers, consult capstone project writing services . 

Ten Healthcare Project Management Research Topics

These research topics address various aspects of healthcare project management, from facility construction and technology implementation to quality improvement and crisis management. Researchers can explore these topics to contribute to the improvement of healthcare project outcomes and patient care.

• Optimizing Healthcare Facility Construction and Renovation Projects.
• Effective Implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHR) in Hospitals.
• Managing Change in Healthcare Organizations: A Project Management Perspective.
• Telemedicine Project Management and its Impact on Healthcare Delivery.
• Healthcare Project Risk Management: A Case Study Analysis.
• Patient-Centered Care Initiatives and Project Management Best Practices.
• Quality Improvement Projects in Healthcare: Challenges and Success Factors.
• Healthcare Supply Chain Management and Project Efficiency.
• The Role of Project Management in Healthcare Crisis Response (e.g., Pandemics).
•  Measuring the Impact of Lean Six Sigma in Healthcare Process Improvement Projects.

When you find a topic - what’s next? Check out this guide on how to research a topic !

Project management is a dynamic and ever-evolving discipline, offering a rich landscape for research and exploration. Whether you are a student seeking captivating project management research topics or a seasoned professional looking to address real-world challenges, our list of topics provides a valuable starting point. 

The key to successful research in project management lies in identifying a topic that aligns with your interests and objectives, allowing you to make meaningful contributions to the field while addressing the pressing issues of today and tomorrow. If you need support executing your research or project, you might consider the convenience of our online services. Simply request " do my project for me " and connect with experts ready to assist you in navigating the complexities of your project management tasks.

So, delve into these research topics, choose the one that resonates with your passion, and embark on a journey of discovery and advancement in the world of project management. If you feel stressed or overwhelmed with the workload at some point, pay for a research paper to gain a competitive edge and save valuable time. 

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How Project Management Techniques Can Improve Research

Without established timelines or performance measures by which to track progress, it can feel like you are constantly racing against time and funding to produce results.

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Best Practices for Keeping Research Projects on Track and Within Budget

It’s easy to get caught up in a rat race when conducting scientific research. Basic research, often carried out in an academic-type setting (e.g., research university, government research lab), tends to be hypothesis-driven or exploratory in nature rather than product-driven as in industry. Thus a basic research project may not have clearly defined goals, and unexpected results may alter the course of action at any given time.

Without established timelines or performance measures by which to track progress, it can feel like you are constantly racing against time and funding to produce results. However, traditional project management methods can be adapted for research projects to make lab work more efficient and productive by defining deadline-driven project deliverables and milestones, performance measures to evaluate progress, and the resources needed to get there. This information can be captured in a project management plan that creates a road map to guide successful project implementation.

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The case for research project management.

In the “ Making the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty ” report by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), project management is defined as “a series of flexible and iterative steps through which you identify where you want to go and a reasonable way to get there, with specifics of who will do what and when.”

Traditional project management methods have been standardized and successfully employed across a number of industries (e.g., construction management, software development) where projects have definitive timelines and product requirements. However, Kathy Huczko, a project management consultant, points out that basic research “focuses on gaining knowledge instead of driving for new product creation,” and thus traditional project management processes cannot be strictly followed.

Huczko underscores, “In industry, the project plan gets adjusted as learning occurs and is retargeted to the product the project is committed to producing. In conducting [basic research], the end result or product is not the significant part of the result; research is planned and conducted using the scientific method, intermediate products in the form of datasets and papers are produced, and the null hypothesis is true or not.” She continues, “Based on the progress and learning to date, the project may be replanned and take off in an entirely new direction. This major replanning would rarely be acceptable in industry but must be the accepted process in [basic] research.”

Further, Susan Singer, a Stanford certified project manager and consultant, writes in her article “ Project Management in the Research Environment ,” that “The higher levels of uncertainty—while customary, accepted, and even embraced in the scientific setting—would constitute unacceptable risk in most business settings.” Thus Singer advocates for research project management as a subdiscipline that can provide the tools and resources for researchers to better organize projects, but with flexibility in the planning process to evolve with the project as needed.

The need for project management skills in academic science

Lab and project management training has not traditionally been included in the curriculum for academic scientists but has been gaining traction in recent years. Institutions are starting to offer a variety of training options, from professional science master’s degrees to business management certifications for postdoctoral researchers.

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These skills can also be learned on the job. Joshua Blodgett, assistant professor of biology at Washington University, honed his project management skills during a leadership role in a biotech start-up. He explains, “There was a lot of pressure to do project management well and [manage] everything that comes along with a multipart group that needs to execute on making a tangible product in a short time launch. That is industry; they need that product. There’s a sense of urgency that you might not normally have in dealing with a typical academic environment.”

Blodgett says once you learn these skills, there is no turning back, and he has successfully transferred these skills to his current academic role. As he explains, “My interactions with students and technicians are completely different than they would have been if I had taken a strictly academic path. I have an additional element of goal setting and organization that I insist on, and that directly comes from the goal setting and review process on a quarterly fashion from industry.” He continues, “That way of thinking around organization of experiments, having your outlines done, and then seeing a direct path to publication just makes you a more productive individual with not that much more effort.”

Related Article: 5 W's of Project Management

With the increasing trend in multi-institutional collaborations, funding agencies are also starting to require project management plans and budgeted project manager positions as part of collaborative proposals to ensure effective functioning of research teams. And as Singer references, “Eighty percent of high-performing projects are led by a certified project manager, yet barely half of projects actually employ one.” Therefore, it may be worth the investment to delegate project management responsibilities to a dedicated team member or consultant trained in these skills.

Overall, how does project management benefit academic researchers? As the HHMI report summarizes best, “While keeping creativity intact, project management can help reduce wasted effort, track progress (or lack of it) and respond quickly to deviations from important aims.” These factors can help researchers work smarter with available resources and better compete for funding by demonstrating a positive track record of project success.

Evaluating the potential of research projects

At the core of project management is the balancing act among the triple constraints of time, funding, and scope, while ensuring high quality and performance. While time is usually the limiting factor in industry, the uncertain funding environment in academic research may constrain projects to a greater extent. Additionally, the products of basic research are more variable. As the HHMI report explains, “Put simply, project management means allocating, using, and tracking resources to achieve a goal in a desired time frame. In a scientific setting, goals may include publishing a paper, obtaining a research grant, completing a set of experiments, or even achieving tenure.”

Therefore, careful evaluation of project ideas for their potential return on investment is the first step in the project life cycle. Such factors to consider include whether the project will result in additional funding faster, whether the resources are available to conduct the project, and whether there is enough time to obtain project results (e.g., preliminary results) before other impending deadlines. An additional consideration is to evaluate whether the project’s scope aligns with the overall theme of the research lab and the missions of any sponsoring organizations (e.g., affiliated institutions, funding agencies).

Creating a road map to guide successful project implementation

Once a project is selected, thorough planning is required to document the key requirements in a project management plan. This high-level document identifies the primary goals, objectives, and activities (i.e., scope); sets the strategy for the project (e.g., performance measures, budget, timeline); and outlines expectations for how work (e.g., communication, data management, quality control) will be conducted by the research team.

Integral to this document is a project timeline that clearly defines milestones (e.g., major events) and deliverables (e.g., project outputs), with corresponding performance measures that will allow progress to be tracked on a regular basis. As Singer explains, “Although the [planning] process is involved and sometimes tedious, what is produced is an easily scanned road map that will inform the team and any entities to which it must report of exactly what the benchmarks are, when they’ll be met, and what steps and resources are necessary to get there.”

This information must subsequently be communicated to the research team and relevant stakeholders to create a culture of shared ownership toward research goals and open communication throughout the project life cycle. A kickoff meeting can be held initially, and then regular touch points are built in to communicate changes, report on progress, and troubleshoot any anticipated project delays. The project management plan should be reviewed on an at least annual basis to make minor revisions and updates as needed.

Keeping the project on its critical path to completion

During the project implementation phase, continuous monitoring allows the researcher to regularly track progress toward the performance measures, anticipate any slowdowns in the process through risk analyses (i.e., “what-if ” scenarios), and take corrective actions as necessary to keep the project on task. Singer also explains that “you have to fail fast so that you can move on to the next possible solution that will accomplish the goal while not depleting the resources available to complete the project or necessitate more equipment, time, people, and/or money than were allocated from the start.”

Singer further emphasizes that this “process demands constant introspection and self-correction” throughout the project life cycle. As she explains, “You’re continuously looking back at your road map and asking, ‘Am I doing what I should be doing when I should be doing it? If not, why not? Are the things that matter being measured so that I can report the appropriate metrics when the time comes? Is my work tracking in such a way that my colleagues, who are reliant on my part of the project, will have the product or data necessary to do their work?’”

Blodgett applies a number of project management skills to ensure projects are following the critical path to completion. For example, when multiple lab members are working together on a project, he has them create an online spreadsheet with every step that affects each of the others in its own separate column, generating a Ganttstyle chart. As he mentions, “I use the online documents that track project progress, not so I can oversee every aspect but so I know where things are, and then the other person should know when things are coming.” He also outsources technical work as needed to prevent significant delays in project timelines.

As science can be unpredictable, the research project management process must remain flexible and adaptable to allow for new discoveries and lines of inquiry along the way. As the HHMI report concludes, “No matter how much you’ve invested in a project, it’s never too late to redirect or stop work altogether if you discover, for example, that another route is more promising than the main avenue of research, or a key premise was off base, or that someone publishes the work before you do.”

Recommended reading

1. Howard Hughes Medical Institute. (2006) Chapter 7: Project Management in Making the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty, Second Edition. http://www.hhmi.org/developing-scientists/making-right-moves

2. Kridelbaugh, D. (2016) “Managing from a Distance.” Lab Manager . http://www.labmanager.com/leadership-and-staffing/2016/03/managing-from-a-distance  

3. Kridelbaugh, D. (2015) “Onboarding.” Lab Manager . http://www.labmanager.com/leadership-and-staffing/2015/07/onboarding  

4. Kridelbaugh, D. (2016) “Open Communication.” Lab Manager . http:// www.labmanager.com/leadership-and-staffing/2016/03/open-communication  

5. Project Management Institute (online). “Tools and Templates.” http://www.pmi.org/learning/tools-templates

6. Singer, S. (2010) “Project Management in the Research Environment.” Best Thinking. https://www.bestthinking.com/articles/science/applied_science/project-management-in-the-research-environment  

7. Singer, S. (online) Susan Singer, SCPM. http://www.singerscpm.com/

About the Author

Donna kridelbaugh, related topics.

• Budgeting ,
• Project Management

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Top 170 Project Management Research Topics to Work in 2024

Home Blog Project Management Top 170 Project Management Research Topics to Work in 2024

In the ever-evolving field of project management, staying ahead of the most recent research trends is essential for professionals who wish to enhance their skills and increase successful project outcomes. This article highlights the top ten project management research topics expected to impact the project management field in 2024 significantly.

Along with Project Management certification courses , this thorough list will be an invaluable tool for exploring the main research frontiers in the dynamic field of project management. Whether you are an aspiring project manager, an academic researcher, or an industry professional looking to optimize your project strategies, project management certifications will support your growth.

What is a Project Management Research Paper?

Project management research papers are academic documents that go deeply into a single topic or aspect of the field of project management. It is usually written by students, researchers, or professionals in the field of project management, and its goal is to add new knowledge, insights, or views to the field.

A research paper on project management will look at some aspects of project management, be it a theoretical framework, methodology, best practices, or case studies. It entails conducting a systematic investigation into the chosen topic, accumulating and analyzing relevant information, and drawing conclusions or making suggestions based on the findings. The study of the project management research topics 2024 will help budding project managers along with PMP certification training .

List of Project Management Research Topics and Ideas

 Here is a list of project management research topics, for writing your project research paper.

Top 10 Project Management Research Topics

The following are the top project management thesis topics in 2024. Let us look into key points and overview of each project management research proposal:

1. Impact of Global Leadership in Leading to the Success of a Project

The following are the key points covered in the thesis on project management of “Impact of global leadership in leading to the success of a project”.

• Global Leadership in Leading Projects: Global leadership is the skill of project managers to lead and manage project teams that are from different cultures, different time zones, and different parts of the world. It means learning and adjusting to different cultural norms, ways of communicating, and ways of doing work.
• Communication and Working Together: Good communication and working together are key to the success of a project, especially when it's a global project.
• Team Building and Motivation: Global leaders must establish trust, develop a sense of a common goal, and provide adequate support and recognition to team members regardless of their geographic location.
• Knowledge Transfer and Learning: The importance of knowledge transfer and learning among project teams should be highlighted by global leadership.

The influence of global leadership on the success of a project has become an increasingly vital subject of research in the discipline of project management. Project teams are becoming more diverse, multicultural, and geographically dispersed as organizations continue to expand their global operations. This trend has created an urgent need for effective global leadership to navigate the complexities and challenges of managing projects across multiple countries, cultures, and time zones.

2. Effects of Cultural Diversity on Project Performance

• Understanding Cultural Diversity: People from other cultures bring their own unique set of values, beliefs, behaviors, and modes of communication to the table, creating a rich stew of cultural diversity.
• Benefits of Cultural Diversity in Project Management: Cultural diversity has various advantages for project management in addition to highlighting differences.
• Challenges of Cultural Diversity in Project Management: Even though cultural diversity can have a lot of positive effects on a project, it also poses special difficulties that project managers must overcome to ensure project success.
• Effective Management of Culturally Diverse Teams: It can be difficult to manage a team with different cultural backgrounds, but with the correct strategy, project managers can capitalize on diversity's advantages and complete projects successfully.

This research topic, it is examined how cultural diversity affects project performance as well as how project managers may successfully lead a multicultural team to project success.

In today's globalized world, cultural diversity is more common than ever and has a big impact on project management. Project managers need to understand how cultural variations between the team, stakeholders, and clients might impact project performance.

3. Popular Leadership Style Used by Project Managers

The following are the key points discussed in the research paper “Popular leadership style used by project managers”.

• Qualities of Effective Leadership.
• Leadership Styles of Project Managers:
• Democratic leadership style
• Transformational leadership style
• Situational leadership style
• Comparative analysis
• Charismatic leadership style
• Summarizing the main findings and contributions of the research.

The paper begins by emphasizing the significance of effective project management leadership and its influence on project outcomes. It emphasizes that project managers require not only technical expertise but also the ability to inspire and lead their teams to deliver results. The purpose of this study is to identify the most prevalent leadership styles employed by project managers and cast light on their effectiveness within the context of project management.

Overall, the project management research paper offers insightful insights into the most prevalent leadership styles employed by project managers. It provides a thorough comprehension of the significance of leadership in project management and emphasizes the effectiveness of transformational leadership in motivating high-performance teams. The findings are a valuable resource for project managers and other professionals who wish to improve their leadership skills and project outcomes.

4. Evaluate PMBOK Guidelines

The following are the key points in “Evaluate the PMBOK guidelines”.

• Introduction to PMBOK Guidelines
• Evaluation of Strengths
• Identification of Weaknesses
• Areas for Improvement
• Suggestions for Enhancements

This research paper tries to evaluate the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) guidelines, a widely accepted project management standard. The PMBOK provides a comprehensive framework and best practices for effectively managing projects. This study analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the PMBOK guidelines, identifies areas for improvement, and proposes potential enhancements to increase its relevance and applicability in modern project management practices.

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5. Stakeholder Approach to Successful Adoption of Projects

The following are the key points discussed in the research paper “Stakeholder Approach to Successful Adoption of Projects.”

• This paper examines the significance of stakeholder management to the successful adoption of projects.
• Understanding Stakeholders
• Significance of Stakeholder Management
• Stakeholder Analysis
• Engaging Stakeholders
• Stakeholder Engagement Strategies
• Managing Stakeholder Expectations
• Overcoming Challenges
• Benefits of the Stakeholder Approach

This research paper begins with an overview of stakeholders and their significance in project management. It emphasizes that stakeholders include individuals, groups, and organizations that can influence a project or be influenced by it. The paper emphasizes the necessity of identifying, analyzing, and ranking stakeholders based on their interests, power, and influence while acknowledging the wide variety of stakeholders involved in any given project.

The paper concludes by highlighting the importance of adopting a stakeholder-based approach to project management for attaining successful project outcomes. It prioritizes the need for project managers to recognize stakeholders as essential collaborators and engage them actively throughout the project lifecycle. By considering the interests of stakeholders, managing their expectations, and maintaining open communication channels, projects can increase their likelihood of successful adoption and long-term sustainability.

6. Effect of Change Mobilization on Companies

The following are the key points discussed in the research paper “Effects of change mobilization in Companies.”

• Importance of Change Mobilization
• Change Mobilization Strategies
• Impact on Organizational Performance
• Challenges and Barriers to Change Mobilization
• Overcoming Challenges and Enhancing Change Mobilization

The "Effect of Change Mobilization in Companies" research paper investigates the influence of change mobilization on organizational performance and employee engagement. The study investigates the numerous strategies and approaches utilized by businesses to successfully carry out and oversee initiatives to change. The findings demonstrate a positive relationship between effective change mobilization and increased productivity, innovation, and employee satisfaction. The paper highlights the significance of leadership, communication, and employee participation in facilitating organizational change.

7. Impact of Reward System on Boosting Productivity

The following are the key points included in the project management research paper “Impact of a reward system on boosting productivity”.

• This paper investigates the effect of a reward system on boosting productivity in a variety of contexts.
• Importance of Rewards in Motivation.
• Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of Reward Systems.
• Types of Rewards
• Case Studies and Empirical Evidence.
• Challenges and Limitations.
• The research paper also concludes that well-designed reward systems can have a positive impact on productivity by motivating individuals and fostering a sense of purpose and satisfaction.

The research paper investigates the effects of implementing a reward system on organizational productivity levels. The study investigates how incentives and recognition can positively impact employee motivation, engagement, and overall performance.

Overall, the research paper illuminates the significant influence of a reward system on increasing organizational productivity. It provides administrators and human resource professionals with valuable insights and recommendations that can be used to improve employee motivation and performance, leading to increased productivity and organizational success.

8. Relation Between Leadership and Change Management

The following are the key points discussed in the research paper “Relation between Leadership and Change Management”:

• Definition of leadership and change management in the project management context.
• Leadership's Role in Change Management.
• Leadership Styles and Change Management.
• Key Factors for Effective Leadership in Change Management.
• Case Studies and Examples.
• Challenges and Recommendations.

This project management research topic examines the vital connection between leadership and change management in the context of project management. It attempts to examine how effective leadership influences the success of organizational change initiatives. Examining various leadership styles and their influence on change management processes, the study identifies the important factors that contribute to effective leadership in driving successful change.

9. How to Develop Cost-effective Projects in Developed Nations?

The following are the key points discussed in the research paper “How to Develop Cost-effective Projects in Developed Nations”:

• A survey of project management in developed countries
• The significance of efficiency in project development.
• Objective and methodology of research.
• Cost-effectiveness factors in developed countries.
• Cost-Effective Project Management Strategies.
• Case Studies and Effective Methods.
• Cost-Effective Project Management Framework for Developed Nations.

This research paper concentrates on the identification of strategies and methods to build cost-effective projects in developed nations. The study acknowledges the challenges project managers experience in high-cost environments and aims to provide practical insights and suggestions for achieving optimal project outcomes while minimizing costs. The paper synthesizes current research and case studies to highlight key contributors to cost-effectiveness and presents a framework for project management in developed nations.

10. Analyze the Role of Soft Skills in Project Success Rates

The following are the key points included in the research paper “Analyze the Role of soft skills in project success rates”:

• Definition of soft skills
• Importance of soft skills in project management
• Relation between soft skills and project accomplishment
• Effective communication
• Leadership and team management
• Resolution of disagreements and problem-solving
• Importance of soft skills development
• Team composition and selection
• Integration of soft skills in project management practices

The "Analyze the Role of Soft Skills in Project Success Rates" research paper examines the significance of soft skills in determining project success rates. Soft skills are a collection of personal characteristics and interpersonal abilities that enable individuals to communicate, collaborate, and manage relationships in professional settings. This study seeks to investigate the effect of these abilities on project outcomes, shedding light on their contribution to project success.The paper begins with an introduction to the significance of soft skills in the contemporary workplace, emphasizing their increasing recognition alongside technical expertise. It emphasizes the growing complexity of initiatives and the need for effective teamwork, communication, and leadership skills to successfully navigate such complexity.

Software Project Management Research Topics

These topics cover a range of critical issues, tactics, risk management, AI integration, and agile methodologies in software project management.

• Software Project Management Challenges in Distributed and Remote Teams.
• Effective Software Project Risk Management Strategies.
• The Role of DevOps in Accelerating Software Project Delivery.
• Agile vs. Waterfall: Comparative Analysis in Software Project Management.
• Quality Assurance and Testing Practices in Software Project Management.
• Project Portfolio Management in Software Organizations.
• Managing Scope Changes and Requirements Volatility in Software Projects.

Construction Project Management Research Ideas

These topics cover sustainability, safety, technology adoption, and stakeholder engagement in construction project management.

• Risk Assessment and Mitigation in Large-Scale Construction Projects.
• The Role of Technology in Improving Construction Project Efficiency.
• Resource Allocation and Cost Control in Construction Methods.
• Safety Management and Accident Prevention in Construction.
• Optimizing Construction Project Scheduling and Time Management.
• Green Building Practices and Sustainable Construction Projects.
• Stakeholder Collaboration and Communication in Complex Construction Projects.
• Impact of Lean Construction Principles on Project Delivery.

Research Topics for Project Management in Healthcare

These topics cover various aspects of healthcare project management, facility construction, implementing technology, quality improvement, and crisis management.

• Healthcare Supply Chain Management and Project Efficiency.
• Managing Change in Healthcare Organizations: A Project Management Perspective.
• Optimizing Healthcare Facility Construction and Renovation Projects.
• Telemedicine Project Management and its Impact on Health care Delivery.
• Healthcare Project Risk Management: A Case Study Analysis.
• Patient-Centered Care Initiatives and Project Management Best Practices.
• Quality Improvement Projects in Healthcare: Challenges and Success Factors.

Research Topics in the Agile Project Management  

• How can project managers survive the agile scare?  
• Can a project manager be an effective scrum master?  
• Agile leadership - Looking beyond the project management horizon  
• Lean agile principles and project management - applying these constructively  
• Zeroing down on the role of a functional manager in agile project management  
• Measuring agile adoption across the organization  
• Tips for being an effective impediment remover while driving projects successfully across the industries  
• Scrum best practices with project management - creating high performing teams  
• How utilization metrics help and what can project managers do to address low team utilization ratios?  
• Beyond velocity - a look at key metrics for agile teams  
• Roadmap planning - how does it help project managers?  
• Understanding the overlapping roles of product and project management  
• DevOps framework - explainer of the 4 pillars of DevOps  
• Can a project manager be an effective impediment remover for teams  
• How to manage risks effectively in case of distributed teams  
• Changes in project management after the pandemic era  
• Proven change management strategies for project managers  
• Demystifying resource utilization to solve project problems  
• How to drive effective retrospectives for any agile team  
• Improving collaboration a key ingredient for project success  
• Evolution of project lifecycle - from traditional to agile  
• Avoiding pitfalls when scaling agile   
• SAFe vs LeSS - understanding distinct agile methodologies  
• Why is scrum the most popular agile methodology  
• Product backlog - the key to agile project success  

Project Management Research  Topics in by Project Phases  

A. project initiation    .

• Explained - the art of choosing the right projects for the organization  
• Mapping portfolio vision to project execution methods  
• Understanding patterns of successful project selection methods   
• What must project managers know about benefits management  
• Project tradeoffs and how, what and when to make the choice  
• The 4 quadrants of choosing the right projects  
• Sunk costs - how to avoid hitting the tip of the iceberg  
• The art of stakeholder management in project management  
• Move stakeholders from unaware to leading - a guide for project managers  
• Stakeholder engagement - the hidden truth of project management  
• Identifying stakeholders - the first step to effective project management  
• How to convert business documents to project documentation  

B. Project Planning  

• Peeling the agile planning onion layer by layer  
• Shift left project planning from top-down to bottoms-up  
• Understanding importance of Gantt charts in project planning  
• Planning cross-vertical projects - Do’s and Don'ts  
• Avoiding project planning pitfalls  
• Project planning for dummies  
• Passing the baton from project planning to implementation  
• Planning projects as a servant leader  
• Capacity planning and its applications across software development  
• A guide to rolling-wave planning and its benefits  
• Comparative analysis - project scheduling and planning tools  
• Scope management - establishing clear boundaries for project success  

C. Project Execution  

• Handover from project planning to execution - A checklist  
• Balancing the project management triangle in a chaotic environment  
• Project documentation - the backbone of project management and execution  
• Executing projects with the help of modern day GPTs  
• Execute projects using AI - going beyond traditional project management  
• How AI can change the way project managers think about project execution  
• Different ways to capture unknown-unknowns in project management  
• Contingency planning - how to plan for the worst and prepare for the best  
• Executing cross-vertical projects - common challenges and pitfalls  
• Linking themes, initiatives, and user stories - lessons for project managers  
• Success stories on project communication - how to engage team members effectively  
• Communication tools and strategies - chalking the project management path  

D. Project Monitoring and Controlling    

• What metrics must project managers see on a daily basis  
• Fix the scope creep and gold plating problems the traditional way  
• The art of project management - how to monitor and control projects effectively  
• Effective risk management for project managers  
• How to monitor projects using ChatGPT prompts  
• Risk management 101 - 101 common risks every PM must know  
• Patterns in risk management - how to uncover risks early and easily  
• Quality control - the most effective methods for project success  
• Impact of continuous improvement on project success and methods  
• What cannot be fixed in projects - tips every project manager must know  
• Triaging meetings - the lesser known project management gemstone  
• Common project monitoring and control pitfalls every PM must avoid  

E. Project Closure    

• Simplifying project closure - ways to effectively close projects  
• Why 90% project managers fail to close projects convincingly  
• Balancing stakeholders during project closure  
• Project closure - transitioning from project management to benefits management  
• Project closure checklist - common handoffs to complete and close projects  
• The what and how of post project evaluations   
• How to perform effective retrospectives in any project  
• Creating Organization Process Assets and lessons learned while closing projects  
• Knowledge transfer - moving from project management to operations  
• Establishing measures to address challenges when closing projects  
• How can project managers learn from failures while closing projects  
• Common project closure pitfalls every PM must avoid.  

Project Research Topics by Domain  

A. finance and accounting    .

• A guide to key financial performance indicators (KPIs) to measure projects  
• Cost benefit accounting and analysis in financial project selection   
• Comparative analysis of project budgeting methods in finance and accounting projects  
• Knowing what types of financial metrics are used in project evaluation  
• Transparency and Accountability in project management reporting  
• Project financial management - a guide to cost benefit analysis  
• Key to project financial disclosures for project managers  
• Risk mitigation and management in project financial analysis  
• Key financial ratios to review project performance  
• Project financial statements that a project manager must analyze during project closure  

B. Sales and Marketing    

• Borrowing techniques from project management for effective campaign planning  
• Strategies for conducting comprehensive market research  
• Product launch - creating a step-by-step path using project management practices  
• How to add project management best practices to establish robust marketing management plans  
• Project management in the digital age - tools to run digital marketing strategies  
• Best practices and pitfalls for sales and marketing projects   
• Project management practices to design and conduct impactful sales trainings  
• Successful planning and control techniques experienced marketing managers must know  
• How can project managers drive transition from sales management to service management  
• How can project managers draft a successful CRM implementation plan  

C. Manufacturing Industry    

• TQM - the role of Total Quality Management in the manufacturing industry   
• Getting the hands dirty - techniques PMs must employ for project management in factories  
• Green manufacturing initiatives - how do they influence projects and project management  
• Exploring project communication strategies and challenges in manufacturing project management  
• How has six sigma and lean quality principles helped project management  
• Waste reduction - the science every project manager in manufacturing must know  
• Meeting labor needs - techniques for project managers to work with labor unions  
• Project management and Internet of Things - driving innovation in industry 4.0  
• Why quality is everyone’s responsibility in the project  
• How can project managers create an effective documentation strategy for manufacturing industry  

D. Service Industry    

• Bridging the customer experience gap in project management  
• Project management and customer satisfaction - making two ends meet  
• Analysis of Agile adoption across industries and domains  
• Embracing project management success strategies in the digital PM drive  
• Risk management in service industry - an overview  
• ChatGPT prompts that every project manager must know   
• How ChatGPT can calculate Key Performance Indicators for any project  
• Common project pitfalls that every project manager must know  
• Applying agile techniques in service industry   
• Enhancing digital adoption via various channels and techniques  

Project Research Topics for the  Non IT  Industry  

• Application of project management practices in Finance and Accounting  
• Project management best practices for healthcare industry  
• How project management can help optimize operations management  
• Establishing measures for effective project management in primary industries  
• Building effective project management strategies in secondary industries  
• Improvising project management practices in tertiary industries  
• Agile transformations in the retail space  
• Harnessing project management practices for stock broking and trading  
• Building engaging and successful team dynamics in the defense industry  
• Creating meaningful OKRs for projects in the Non-IT industry  
• How knowledge areas and processes of project management can help non-IT industries  
• Creating meaningful metrics for measuring project performance  
• Driving automobile sales and delivery using project management practices  
• Insights for CRM based project applications  
• PM best practices applied in non-IT based projects  

How to Write a Project Management Research Paper?

It is suggested to get certified in PRINCE2 certification training for aspiring project managers, which will help them work on well-organized and logical project management topics for research papers. Here is a step-by-step guide to writing your research paper on project management:

• Select a topic of project management that sparks your interest.
• Utilize credible sources such as academic journals, books, Google research, websites, and scholarly articles to conduct extensive research on the selected topic.
• Create a plan to organize your primary ideas and thoughts.
• Write an appealing introduction that provides perspective and states your research question.
• Provide a comprehensive survey of the appropriate research by summarizing existing studies and theories.
• Clearly describe your method, including how you plan to collect and examine data.
• Use tables, charts, or graphs as necessary to present your findings or results.
• Consider any restrictions or limitations of your study and explain how they may have affected your findings.
• Your paper should be proofread and edited for clarity, coherence, grammar, and spelling.
• Format your paper according to the specific instructions provided by your institution or the journal to which you are submitting.
• To avoid plagiarism, cite your sources using the appropriate format (e.g., APA, MLA).
• To enhance the quality and rigor of your research paper, solicit feedback from peers or professors.

These topics for research in project management provide an excellent roadmap for project management academicians and practitioners to follow as we move forward. By focusing on these areas, we can obtain valuable insights, foster innovation, and elevate the project management discipline to new heights. The discipline of project management, such as construction project management research topics and ideas, is in a constant state of evolution, and researchers need to explore new avenues and address new challenges. Along with getting trained in these project management research proposal topics, it is suggested to enroll in KnowledgeHut Project Management courses for beginners and get globally recognized accreditations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Project management for research is the process of planning, coordinating, and carrying out research tasks in a way that helps reach certain goals within certain limits. 

The questions that a study or research project is trying to answer are the research questions. Most of the time, this question is about a problem or issue that is answered in the study's result through the analysis and interpretation of data.

The latest emerging project topics are Hybrid Project Management, Artificial Intelligence (AI) And Automation, Rise in remote working, Advanced Resource and Project Management Software, and Projects and Organizational strategy.

Kevin D.Davis

Kevin D. Davis is a seasoned and results-driven Program/Project Management Professional with a Master's Certificate in Advanced Project Management. With expertise in leading multi-million dollar projects, strategic planning, and sales operations, Kevin excels in maximizing solutions and building business cases. He possesses a deep understanding of methodologies such as PMBOK, Lean Six Sigma, and TQM to achieve business/technology alignment. With over 100 instructional training sessions and extensive experience as a PMP Exam Prep Instructor at KnowledgeHut, Kevin has a proven track record in project management training and consulting. His expertise has helped in driving successful project outcomes and fostering organizational growth.

Avail your free 1:1 mentorship session.

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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.
• Explore how project management principles and strategies can influence your work with colleagues and stakeholders on various projects.

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.

Meet the Panelists

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.

Session 2: Creating the Plan November 3, 2022 | 12:00pm ET In this session, you will learn to apply project planning terms and understand how to break a project into manageable parts, sequence tasks, and manage time while considering how these components affect your work and the work of your team members.

Session 3: Finalizing the Plan November 8, 2022 | 12:00pm ET In this session, you will explore project management principles further by calculating risks, managing a process, reviewing a project plan, and forecasting the execution and completion of a project while considering how these elements impact your work and the work of your team members.

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.

Eligibility

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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125 Project Management Research Topics Ideas

Are you urgently in need of top-class project management research topics for your upcoming exam? Keep reading for exclusive writing ideas.

Those who have handled a project management thesis before can witness that this is not a smooth affair. The creativity, level of research, and critical thinking necessary for developing such a paper require a mature student. The greatest hurdle comes in when you want to develop your research topic. Our professional writers have everything you need to write an award-winning paper. Scroll down to find out how?

What Is A Project Management Research Paper?

It is an assignment that requires students to integrate the different processes to achieve a particular goal and deliverables. Project management is based on the principle that all tasks are special, and thus, you should not treat two tasks as the same.

In this type of assignment, students have to develop many coordination skills and fairness in dealing with various projects. Since various tasks differ in line with their functional procedures, you have to dig deeper to determine how each yields direct and proportional earnings in the end.

Does all these sound like rocket science to you? Well, the next few lines will make you understand this subject better.

Key Points About A Project Management Thesis

There are different steps involved in writing a project management paper. These will contribute to the body paragraphs’ overall quality, length, and depth. The various practices involved in project management include:

Initiating Planning Executing Controlling Closing the work of a team

When you bring all these processes together, you can achieve a particular goal or specific success within the set time. That brings us to a critical component of project management – time!

Every project has a given time frame within which it is complete. It is the primary challenge as time constraints are always when unexpected issues arise. However, with practice, time will not be a factor anymore; it will be the motivation for completing a particular project.

If you don’t feel those skills are important to you, you can get custom dissertation help from our expert team.

How To Write A Top-Rated Project Management Paper

For you to write a paper that will get the attention of your university teacher, there are various steps that you have to take. Remember that you have to demonstrate to your professor that you understand your topic and can significantly contribute to the topic at the end of the day.

Here is a step-by-step guide that will take you through the full process of project management writing:

• Understand your assignment: You should carefully read the question and point out any confusing part that you may need clarity with your professor. You also set the goal, timeline, length, format, and other requirements.
• Develop an interesting project management topic: The best way to generate a writing idea is by brainstorming. You can ask a friend tutor or get inspiration from other research papers.
• Begin your preliminary research: You can point out arguments that seem important to your topic and find captivating angles to present them. It is advisable to consult sources such as books, journals, or reliable websites. Having research questions in this section will give you ample time.
• Think of an exciting thesis statement: This will be your central argument that will establish your research paper’s position and purpose. Remember to include the evidence and reasoning you intend to support your answer.
• Develop an outline for your paper: It includes the key topics, arguments, and examples that will feature in your paper. Having a structured outline helps you complete the writing process effortlessly.

Once you complete these steps, your writing will be like a walk in the park. You will express your ideas clearly and have a logical paper.

Now let’s explore some of the most sought after project management topics:

Easy Project Management Research Topics

• How to implement capital improvement projects
• Discuss the essence of a good project management plan before the onset
• The role of technology and funding in implementing projects
• Consider the effects of working from home on project management
• How global companies manage projects across various regions
• What is the impact of the world becoming a global village in project management?
• Why is it necessary to segment tasks in a multi-sectorial project?
• Discuss the process of harmonizing systems, people, and resources
• Why is project management as a course in school necessary for the job market?
• Discuss the challenges related to transit projects
• Evaluate the various trends in project management in the digital age
• The role of leadership systems in project management
• Why time management is necessary for the completion of any task
• How to develop achievable goals or aspirations in a project
• The role of risk management before embarking on a project

High-Quality Project Management Topics

• The undisputed role of administrators in any project
• Technological systems that have made project management easier
• Discuss the complexity in completing different projects
• Why should every project have a project tracking instrument?
• Steps towards developing a working budget for a project
• Why do project managers write a proposal before embarking on the actual work?
• How often should the project manager meet to discuss the progress of a project?
• How to develop cost-effective projects in developed nations
• Discuss the various sources of primary funding for projects
• Why are communications skills necessary for any project?
• Compare and contrast the completion rate of government projects versus private projects.
• Discuss the authorization process of a project

Custom Project Management Research Paper Topics

• Discuss the roles of various officers involved in the running of a project
• What makes a particular project require a great number of resources?
• How to develop objectives and scope of work for different projects
• Analyze how the 24-hour economy is impacting the completing of massive projects
• Why it is important to determine the timing of an escalation in a project
• Should project managers remain engaged throughout the lifecycle of a project?
• Discuss some of the leadership qualities necessary for project management
• Why motivation is necessary for the completion of any project
• How to point out signs of retardation in a project
• The essence of addressing emerging issues in a project as soon as possible
• What are the differences at the micro and macro levels of a project?
• Steps involved in the termination process of a project

The Best Project Management Topics For Research

• Compare and contrast the procedural and mechanical parts of a project
• How to yield direct and proportional earnings from a project
• Management of a project during the economic recession
• Evaluate how COVID-19 restrictions impacted project management policies
• The role of integrating people and machines in the completion of projects
• Analyze the role of soft skills in project success rates
• How does cultural diversity impact project performance in the US?
• Why it is important to keep financial records in the implementation of a project
• Evaluate the design and implementation of projects
• A review of the stalled projects and why the project managers are to blame
• An in-depth analysis of procurement procedures in project management
• How organizational characters affect the development of a project

College Project Management Topics For Research Papers

• Investigate the organizational characteristics that affect project completion
• Identify cost-effective key performance indicators in a project?
• Social network analysis tools necessary for project management
• Discuss how emotional intelligence leads to the success of a project
• How to develop an effective project scheduling system for large projects
• Why standard operating procedures are necessary for effective projects
• The role of teamwork and collaboration in project completion
• Why quality control is necessary for any successful project
• Effective resource management techniques for technical projects
• Interpersonal skills that will make a project work
• Ethics involved in project management
• Discuss project mapping and progress reporting

Latest Research Topics For Project Management

• Are all project problems an indicator of more trouble to come?
• The role of identifying job descriptions in the success of projects
• Why it is necessary to incorporate staff retention and training in projects
• Evaluate the various project documentation processes
• How to develop better project control and management tools
• Discuss the differences between contractual and commercial management of projects
• Why delays and disruptions increase the cost of projects
• Impact of timely delivery of projects on economic development of countries
• Effects of sanctions of global projects
• Discuss conflict resolution practices in a particular project
• How to develop credit risk modeling techniques for projects
• Why appraisals and incentives are necessary for project success

Hot Research Project Topics In Business Management

• The role of business planning in a competitive environment
• How different business structures affect their development paradigms
• How to develop effective customer service strategies for businesses
• Why it is necessary to resolve employment issues before they escalate
• Inventory control practices in business management
• Discussing the necessity of keeping a keen eye on tax compliance in business establishments
• The role of record-keeping in the management of business ventures
• How to develop pricing structures that will keep the business afloat
• Discuss the peculiarities of merchandising and packaging
• Evaluate how insurance is necessary for any business
• Marketing strategies that will outshine competitors in a business setting
• How e-commerce is transforming project management in businesses

Innovative Topics For Project Management Research

• The role of decision making and problem-solving in project management
• Why technology and analytics are important components of successful projects
• How to use organizational culture to the benefit of project management
• How to manage international businesses using social media
• Discuss the role of entrepreneurs and founders in project development
• Effective operation strategies for developing projects
• How to adjust and adapt to organizational change
• Performance indicators that are necessary for competitive project management
• The role of feedback in the development of any commercial project
• Why personal productivity is necessary for any project management strategy
• Reasons why health and behavioral science are important in project management
• Discuss the effects of globalization on project management policies

Quality Research Topics In Management

• Discuss the role of government policies and regulations in project management
• How power and influence impact award of tenders for various projects
• Human rights to consider in project management
• The role of incubation hubs in project development
• Cross-functional management in projects
• Team member engagement in project management
• Legal issues in project management
• Political interference in development projects
• Evaluate various workspaces design
• Why should workplace health and safety be a priority in project management?
• Virtual teams and project management
• Why mission statements are necessary for project management

Construction Project Management Research Topics

• Best practices in digital project management
• How English as a language necessitates project management
• Online technologies that offer innovative project management ideas
• Student-centered symposiums in project management
• Cheap project management solutions that offer quality output
• The role of expatriates in development projects
• Discuss the four phases of project management
• How to manage change in a project
• Agile innovation methods for project success
• Quantitative tools for project management
• The revival of the construction project economy
• Developing sustainable construction projects
• The impact of building information modeling
• Collaborative work in project management

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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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Closing Thoughts

Further Research Opportunities in 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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Senior Research Associate

Organization

Founded in 1968, the Guttmacher Institute is a global leader in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights. Through a unique and interrelated program of high-quality research, evidence-based advocacy and strategic communications, the Institute works to generate new ideas, encourage enlightened public debate, and promote sound policy and program development; its overarching goal is to ensure the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all people worldwide. The Institute is engaged in building a more inclusive, transparent and equitable organization.

Position summary

We are hiring three (3) Senior Research Associates (SRA) who are responsible for a variety of research and management tasks. Research tasks may include collection of quantitative data (often by overseeing fielding of surveys), collection of qualitative data, data processing and analysis, contributing to or leading the writing of articles and reports, and coordinating with staff in other divisions, particularly in getting products to publication. An SRA typically will serve as project manager (i.e., managerial lead) on one or more projects and may also serve as project principal (i.e., substantive lead) on projects or project components. SRAs on international projects will often work extensively with in-country partners. 

SRAs contribute to training Research Associates, and often train and oversee Research Assistants. 

A Senior Research Associate works with a substantial degree of independence, usually under the direction of a Senior Research Scientist or other senior research staff. Although an SRA carries out many of the same substantive and management tasks as a Research Associate, she or he must have additional qualifications and must take on additional responsibilities by virtue of greater experience and longer tenure.

Responsibilities

Senior Research Associate–specific responsibilities:

• Provide substantive background to Research Associates (and junior staff) who are embarking on new projects in unfamiliar substantive areas. Methods to do so may be both formal and informal, including compiling relevant literature or holding discussion/information sessions.
• Provide and share expertise on project management and supervision in the context of project implementation. Senior Research Associates can guide Research Associates on interpersonal communication, problem-solving strategies, and other personnel issues that may arise.
• With project partners, especially in but not limited to our international collaborations, design and co-lead training of fieldworkers.  

If staffer has Guttmacher tenure

• Share knowledge and expertise on Guttmacher research implementation processes and methodologies with Research Associates and Research Assistants. Provide training and guidance to Research Associates and Research Assistants on data collection, processing, analysis and presentation as they are commonly performed at Guttmacher. These trainings may occur in the course of a project on which the Senior Research Associate is staffed with a Research Associate, or through more formal mechanisms such as scheduled trainings or presentations. In the international projects, SRAs may lead trainings, in collaboration with project partners.
• Share knowledge and expertise on Guttmacher processes for interdivisional work with Research Associates and Research Assistants

Research tasks

• Act as project principal (substantive lead) on projects, typically smaller or shorter-term ones, or on components of projects.
• Design, format and proofread questionnaires, with direction from senior staff on content; implement or supervise research assistants on formatting, proofreading and translation of these documents.
• Assist with IRB-related preparation as needed; participate in IRB meetings, including presenting to the IRB during reviews.
• Moderate focus groups or conduct personal interviews.
• Schedule, monitor, manage and coordinate a variety of tasks necessary for the fielding of surveys, including:  
• Sample selection and management of respondent databases
• Organize project timetables and activities for initial and follow-up mailings
• Assist with orientation of research assistants to projects, with training in fieldwork skills
• Monitor productivity and quality of work
• Supervise the tracking of survey respondents
• Supervise activities to follow up on survey nonresponse and item nonresponse and clarification
• Develop coding instructions and training of research assistants in coding procedures
• Supervise checking and coding of questionnaires in preparation for data entry
• Supervise all tasks related to maintaining proper documentation of fieldwork activities and archiving of project files concerning fieldwork
• Monitor that a study’s methodological procedures are properly followed to ensure data quality  
• Collaborate with fieldwork partners on study design, including sample selection and study instrument development
• Lead or participate in fieldwork training of partners
• Manage project timelines and activities
• Monitor/supervise fieldwork in collaboration with partners
• Develop checks to ensure quality data entry and data cleaning processes
• Supervise or participate in tasks related to maintaining proper documentation of fieldwork activities  
• Implement data analyses using SPSS, Stata, NVivo or other social science analysis packages; take primary responsibility for certain complex analyses and data management tasks.
• Train and oversee Research Assistants in data cleaning and basic analyses.
• Participate in the drafting and/or review of articles and project reports, serving as first author in some cases.
• Serve as the Research Division’s point person to review and fact check materials as requested by other divisions (such as news releases and social media outputs).
• Present findings and represent Guttmacher at meetings and conferences.

Management tasks

• Serve as project manager (i.e., managerial lead) and work closely with project principals to oversee budget and staffing needs, while monitoring project schedules and work plan.
• Work with Communications and Policy teams, when applicable, to help coordinate communications activities.
• Coordinate projects that involve Guttmacher’s partnering with external collaborating agencies in the U.S. or in other countries; includes coordinating and making logistical and substantive preparations for field visits with both Guttmacher staff and staff of the partner organization, as well as helping coordinate with external communications partners for dissemination activities and launch events.
• Write reports to and participate in calls with funders.
• Assist with interviewing and recruitment of Senior Research Associates, Research Associates, Senior Research Assistants and Research Assistants.
• Participate in mentoring of research assistants.
• Assist in various aspects of project development, for example by developing budget estimates (staffing and direct costs) for fieldwork activities.
• Implement appropriate (confidential if required) storage, archiving or disposal of survey questionnaires.
• Perform other reasonably related job duties as assigned by supervisor or division management.  

Qualifications and skills

• For Position (#1) : We are seeking candidates with expertise in R programming, experience with Bayesian modeling (preferably in the Stan programming language), and a strong statistical background.
• For Position (#2) : We are seeking candidates with strong expertise in Stata programming and data analysis, familiarity in methodologies used to calculate abortion incidence, and program management. In addition, we are looking for someone with experience working with international partners on abortion research and conducting capacity strengthening activities.
• For Position (#3) : We are seeking candidates with strong expertise in Stata programming and data analysis, program evaluation, and program management. Previous experience working on community-based randomized control trials or other quasi-experimental studies would be an advantage.
• Master’s degree in a social science, public health or other relevant field and a minimum of five years of progressively responsible related work experience; or a bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and seven years of progressively responsible related work experience.
• Detailed knowledge of the processes and practices used in the Guttmacher research division to implement research projects, or knowledge of equivalent processes in a similar research setting.
• Demonstrated experience in performing and understanding complex data analysis procedures using statistical packages such as R, Stata and NVivo.
• Strong writing skills.
• Ability to schedule and coordinate work of a team.
• Ability and willingness to train and mentor Research Associates.
• Ability to train and supervise research assistants in implementing project work.
• Ability to liaise with, and to professionally manage communication with, consultants, collaborators, and/or organizations.
• Ability to travel and represent Guttmacher at external meetings and conferences.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to plan ahead and foresee needs and problems.
• Effective communication, organizational and management skills.
• Efficiency, accuracy, high productivity and professionalism

Salary and benefits

Starting salary at 103,745.39 to $165,875.40 commensurate with experience. This is a union position. The Guttmacher Institute practices a hybrid work schedule, requiring in-office attendance 8 days per month at our NYC location. We offer excellent benefits that include medical, dental, vision and life insurance; vacation, personal and sick time; paid parental leave; tuition reimbursement; commuting subsidy; and 401(k) with employer match. The Guttmacher Institute strives to provide the training and support staff need to be successful in their positions and to grow professionally. Guttmacher is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

The Guttmacher Institute seeks to foster a diverse, inclusive and equitable environment, where every employee’s unique talents are valued and recognized as an asset to the achievement of our mission. The Guttmacher Institute is an equal opportunity employer.

To apply, submit resume and cover letter here .

Please note that telephone inquiries will not be acknowledged. No agencies, please.

Guttmacher is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer  

The Guttmacher Institute seeks to foster a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment, where employees’ talents are valued and recognized as an asset to the achievement of our mission. We endeavor to make the application process accessible to all users. If you need assistance learning about or applying to our employment opportunities, please contact our human resources department at (212) 248-1111 or  [email protected] .

Project Managing: International Joint Venture Projects

• Wright State University

Research output : Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

The authors of this article apply relevant project management concepts to international joint ventures (IJV) formation, in order to achieve business success. IJV formation is a common topic in the international management, strategic management, financial management, international marketing, international accounting, and international business law literatures. An IJV may be logically classified either as an equity or a contractual joint venture. The proposed model consists of three component parts. They are the IJV Project Framework for Analysis, the IJV Scope Statement, and the ProjectContract Process. The benefits of the model include its potential for increased and timely control of the IJV variables and its adaptability to all life-cycle phases and environmental challenges.

Disciplines

• Business Administration, Management, and Operations
• International Business

Access to Document

• 10.1177/030630709401900305 License: Unspecified

Other files and links

• Link to repository

T1 - Project Managing: International Joint Venture Projects

AU - Konieczny, Steven J.

AU - Petrick, Joseph A.

PY - 1994/4/1

Y1 - 1994/4/1

N2 - The authors of this article apply relevant project management concepts to international joint ventures (IJV) formation, in order to achieve business success. IJV formation is a common topic in the international management, strategic management, financial management, international marketing, international accounting, and international business law literatures. An IJV may be logically classified either as an equity or a contractual joint venture. The proposed model consists of three component parts. They are the IJV Project Framework for Analysis, the IJV Scope Statement, and the ProjectContract Process. The benefits of the model include its potential for increased and timely control of the IJV variables and its adaptability to all life-cycle phases and environmental challenges.

AB - The authors of this article apply relevant project management concepts to international joint ventures (IJV) formation, in order to achieve business success. IJV formation is a common topic in the international management, strategic management, financial management, international marketing, international accounting, and international business law literatures. An IJV may be logically classified either as an equity or a contractual joint venture. The proposed model consists of three component parts. They are the IJV Project Framework for Analysis, the IJV Scope Statement, and the ProjectContract Process. The benefits of the model include its potential for increased and timely control of the IJV variables and its adaptability to all life-cycle phases and environmental challenges.

UR - https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/management/36

U2 - 10.1177/030630709401900305

DO - 10.1177/030630709401900305

M3 - Article

JO - Journal of General Management

JF - Journal of General Management

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2024 FECM / NETL Carbon Management Research Project Review Meeting Proceedings

Monday august 5, 2024, general plenary session (all program areas) – exhibit hall b.

U.S. Department of Energy Highlights Master of Ceremonies: Noah Deich, Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, U.S. Department of Energy

Technical Thought Leaders Panel Moderator: Mark Ackiewicz, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Carbon Management, Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, U.S. Department of Energy

Point Source Carbon Capture Breakout Session – 403/404/405

Enabling CCS Demos and Carbon Capture Large Pilot Scale Testing Moderator: Ron Munson

Enabling CCS Demos and Carbon Capture Large Pilot Scale Testing Moderator: Nicole Shamitko-Klingensmith

Enabling CCS Demos and Carbon Capture Large Pilot Scale Testing Moderator: Dylan Leary

Panel Discussion - Factors Influencing Financial Investment Decision for Large Pilots and Demonstrations Moderator: Lynn Brickett

Carbon Dioxide Removal Breakout Session – 408/409/410

CDR Program Updates

Pre-Commercial DAC EPIC Prize Finalists Moderator: Elias Cain

Lab/Bench-Scale DAC Research Moderator: Akhil Sathish

Integrated Bench-Scale DAC Testing Moderator: Akhil Sathish

Carbon Conversion Breakout Session – 319/320/321

Conversion Overview Moderator: Joe Stoffa

Reactive Capture Moderator: Gregory Imler

Conversion Moderator: Gregory Imler

Carbon Transport and Storage Breakout Session 1 – Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom B

Regional Initiatives (Midwest/Northeast) Moderator: Mary Dailey

CarbonSAFE Phase II (Midwest/Northeast) Moderator: Mary Dailey

CarbonSAFE Phase III (Midwest/Northeast) Moderator: Andrea McNemar

CarbonSAFE Phase III (Midwest/Northeast) Moderator: Josh Hull

EDX disCO 2 ver - Unlocking CTS' Digital Future Moderator: Chad Rowan

Carbon Transport and Storage Breakout Session 2 – 304/305

Subsurface Stress Moderator: Kyle Smith

Secure Storage Moderator: Melissa Ely

Plume Detection and Storage Efficiency Moderator: Kyle Smith

Carbon Transport and Storage Breakout Session 3 – 306/307

EDX disCO 2 ver - Unlocking CTS' Digital Future Moderator: Paige Morkner

EDX disCO 2 ver - Unlocking CTS' Digital Future Moderator: MacKenzie Mark-Moser

EDX disCO 2 ver - Unlocking CTS' Digital Future Moderator: Gabe Creason

Side Events

DAC Test Center Workshop - Rooms 411/412

Tuesday August 6, 2024

International Carbon Management Progress Panel Moderator: Philip Bainbridge, Chairman, Global CCS Institute

Community Engagement and Workforce Development Panel Moderator: April Augustine, Director, I.D.E.A.L. Workforce Programs, Idaho National Laboratory

FEEDs Panel Discussion Moderator: Andrew Gilbert

Electric Generation FEED Studies Moderator: Krista Hill

Industrial Capture FEED Studies Moderator: Mariah Young

Industrial Decarbonization Panel Moderator: Mani Gavvalapalli

Geographic Focus/Tools Moderator: Andrew Hlasko

NETL Research & Innovation Center Moderator: Dave Luebke

Integrated Bench-Scale DAC Testing Moderator: Zachary Roberts

Pre-Commercial DAC Technology Prize Semifinalists Moderator: Elias Cain

Consortia Overview & Mineralization Moderator: Naomi O'Neil

Biological Uptake Moderator: Naomi O'Neil

Biological Uptake Moderator: Kanchan Mondal

CarbonSAFE Phase III (Plains) Moderator: Jake Smith

CarbonSAFE Phase II (Plains) Moderator: Jake Smith

Associated Storage (Plains) Moderator: Dawn Deel

NETL Research & Innovation Center Moderator: Dustin Crandall

Regional Initiatives (Plains) Moderator: Josh Hull

EDX disCO 2 ver - Unlocking CTS' Digital Future Moderator: Lucy Romeo

SMART Tools - Computational and Visualization Advances Moderator: Hema Siriwardane

SMART Tools - Field Application Moderator: Hema Siriwardane

SMART Tools - Applications Moderator: Hema Siriwardane

Regional Initiatives (Southeast) Moderator: Dawn Deel

CarbonSAFE Phase III (Southeast) Moderator: Paul Zandhuis

CarbonSAFE Phase III (Southeast) Moderator: Liz Wilson

CarbonSAFE Phase II (Southeast) Moderator: Liz Wilson

EDX disCO 2 ver - Unlocking CTS' Digital Future Moderator: Patrick Wingo

NETL Research & Innovation Center Moderator: Colton Kohnke

Secure Storage Moderator: Andrea McNemar

Reception/Poster Session/Interactive Demo Session - Ballroom Gallery/Ballrooms A & C

5:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. Reception/Poster Session/Interactive Demo Session

Point Source Carbon Capture Posters

Carbon Dioxide Removal Posters

Carbon Transport and Storage Posters

Carbon Conversion Posters

Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF) Program Posters

Technology Demonstrations

Community Benefits and Public Engagement Round Tables - Rooms 401/402

Carbon Transport Special Session Exploring Alternative Approaches to Advancing New Carbon Transport Infrastructure Projects - Rooms 401/402

Wednesday August 7, 2024

Changing Regulatory Landscape Panel Moderator: Nichole Saunders, Director & Senior Attorney, Energy Transition, Environmental Defense Fund

Carbon Transport Panel Moderator: Amanda Raddatz Bopp, Director, Carbon Transport and Storage Division, Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, U.S. Department of Energy

Carbon Capture Testing Centers Panel Moderator: José Figueroa

Power Generation Engineering-Scale Testing/Pilots Moderator: Dustin Brown

Power Generation Engineering-Scale Testing/Pilots Modertor: Andy O'Palko

Industrial Engineering-Scale Testing/Pilots Moderator: Carl Laird

2614 Round 3 Kickoff - Engineering-Scale/Pilots (Power and Industrial)

SBIR Kickoff - AI Based Forecasting Models for Amine and Degradation Product Emissions Moderators: Katy Daniels/Sara Hamilton

Carbon Negative Shot Summit Moderator: Rory Jacobson

DAC FEED Studies Moderator: Andrew Aurelio

CDR Market Panel Moderator: Noah Deich

CDR Purchase Pilot Prize Semifinalists Moderator: Elias Cain

Regional DAC Hubs - Feasibility Studies Moderator: Andrew Aurelio

NAS Report Presentation & Mineralization Moderator: Kara Zabetakis

TBD & Mineralization Moderator: Kanchan Mondal

Biological Uptake and Catalytic Conversion Moderator: Michael Stanton

Transport Panel # 1: CO 2 Transport FEED Studies Moderator: Willian Aljoe

Transport Panel #2: Transport Project Financing Moderator: Sarah Leung

Transport Panel #3: Transport Modeling Updates Moderator: Robert Smith

Transport Panel # 4: Research, Development, and Demonstration Activities Moderator: Mark McKoy

CarbonSAFE Phase II (Basalts/Mafics) Moderator: Ashley Urosek

CO 2 Mineralization (Basalts/Mafics) Moderator: Nick Means

Plume Detection and Storage Efficiency Moderator: Nick Means

Secure Storage (Basalts/Mafic) Moderator: James Gardiner

Plume Detection and Storage Efficiency Moderator: James Gardiner

Workshop on Consistency in Geologic Data Collection and Reporting for Storage Resources Moderator: Mark McKoy

CO 2 Storage Resources Management System (SRMS) Workshop Moderator: Mary Dailey

CO 2 Storage Resources Management System (SRMS) Workshop Moderator: Mary Dailey and Gilly Rosen

Black & Veatch IgniteX CDR Showcase - Garrison Overlook - 4th Floor

Thursday August 8, 2024

State Activities Panel Moderator: Jessica Moore, President, Association of American State Geologists

Land Considerations Panel Moderator: Ashleigh (Hildebrand) Ross, Vice President & Head of Commercial Development & Policy, Carbon America

SBIR Kickoff - Carbon Capture for Mobile Sources Moderator: Chet Liew

Development of Next-Generation Membrane-Based Capture Technologies for Low-Concentration Sources Moderator: Eric Grol

2614 Round 4 Kickoff - Decarbonization of Industrial Processes Using Oxygen-Based (Oxy-combustion and Chemical Looping) Approaches

Regional DAC Hubs - Feasibility Studies Moderator: Elliot Roth

Regional DAC Hubs - FEED Studies Moderator: Elliot Roth

Regional DAC Hubs - FEED Studies Moderator: Zachary Roberts

Biological Uptake Moderator: Lei Hong

Catalytic Pathway for Methanol Moderator: Richard Dunst

Catalytic Pathway for Methanol Moderator: Lei Hong

Offshore Partnerships Moderator: Natalie Iannacchione

Regional Initiatives (Offshore) Moderator: Nick Means

CarbonSAFE Phase III (Offshore/Gulf of Mexico) Moderator: Natalie Iannacchione

CarbonSAFE Phase III (Offshore/Gulf of Mexico) Moderator: Evelyn Lopez

CarbonSAFE Phase II (Offshore/Gulf of Mexico) Moderator: Matt Kaminski

Offshore Topics Moderator: Evelyn Lopez

CarbonSAFE Phase II (West/Northwest) Moderator: Johnathan Moore

Regional Initiatives (West/Northwest) Moderator: Johnathan Moore

CarbonSAFE Phase II (West/Northwest) Moderator: Paul Zandhuis

CO 2 Mineralization Moderator: Ashley Urosek

CO 2 Mineralization Moderator: Melissa Ely

National Risk Assessment Partnership (NRAP) Moderator: Brian Strazisar

NETL Research & Innovation Center Moderator: Lucy Romeo

Carbon Dioxide Removal: Enhanced Mineralization Special Session - Rooms 411-412

CO2 Consortium Industry Day - Rooms 401-402

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s UIC Class VI Permit Application Training Workshop - Rooms 411/412

Friday August 9, 2024

2024 ARPA-E FLECCS Phase 2 Annual Meeting

In order to participate in the 2024 ARPA-E FLECCS Phase 2 Annual Meeting, it is necessary to complete a separate registration process. To receive an invitation, kindly reach out to [email protected].

2024 ARPA-E FLECCS Phase 2 Annual Meeting - Project Performer Presentations

Marine CDR Concepts Moderator: Mike Bergen

Marine CDR Pilot Testing Moderator: Mike Bergen

BiCRS Pre-FEED Studies Moderator: Mike Bergen

Regional Initiatives (Southwest) Moderator: Paul Zandhuis

CarbonSAFE Phase III (Southwest) Moderator: Vida Golubovic

Secure Storage (Southwest) Moderator: Vida Golubovic

Emissions Control Breakout Session – Rooms 319/320/321

Emissions Control Moderator: Heather Hunter

• Current Projects

Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Building

The Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Building project is managed by the Department of Campus Planning & Facilities Management at Case Western Reserve University. Learn more about the project below. 

• Construction manager: Nicholas Christie
• Project start: November 2023
• Projected completion: Fall 2026
• Total project cost: $300 million

Scope of Project

Per Case Western Reserve University’s 2019 Strategic Plan, the university seeks to achieve $600 million in annual research funding over the next decade. A new, five-story, 189,000-square-foot research building is proposed on the current site of Yost Hall, consistent with the 2015 Campus Master Plan. The building will include wet labs, dry labs—including shared core lab and technology platforms.

View the Live Webcam

Exterior Quad Elevation

Exterior Quad Oblique

Exterior MLK Elevation

Exterior Gateway

Interior Winter Garden Toward MLK

Interior Cafe Toward Stair

Interior Living Room Oblique

Yost Hall Demolition FAQs

What is happening at Yost Hall?

As previously detailed in the daily, Yost Hall will become a construction site on Wednesday, Nov. 1. In the ensuing months, crews will complete the work necessary to remove the structure so that construction on the university’s new Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building (ISEB) can begin.

How will this work affect people in Yost Hall?

All of those who worked in Yost—including in the Department of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and Statistics—have been relocated.

How will this work affect university parking along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive?

Lot 1B is now closed and will not re-open; that area is part of the ISEB project. All of those who used to park in the lot have been notified and offered alternative options. Some individuals who now park in Lot 1A may have to relocate temporarily to the Veale Garage; those individuals will be notified as soon as additional information becomes available. 

How will this project affect pedestrians in that area of the Case Quad?

Campus Planning and Facilities Management (CPFM) will collaborate with the project contractor to provide adequate signage indicating where individuals can and cannot walk. 

Will people still be able to access Tomlinson Hall—in particular the ground floor dining options?

Yes, Tomlinson offices and food services will continue to operate during the project.

Will the work affect labs in Wickenden Hall?

The CPFM team is working with lab managers in Wickenden to provide alternative access options for deliveries.

Will any trees be removed during this project?

Some trees will need to be removed to make space for the new building, a process that will begin in early November. The university is committed to planting a new tree on campus for each tree that is taken down.

When will the actual demolition of Yost Hall begin?

Demolition is scheduled to commence in late March/early April of 2024. In the meantime, contractors will be preparing the building and site for the removal of the building.

When will further updates be available?

Updates will be provided in the daily and on the CPFM website.