Research Project Management: Exploring Innovation

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Article Contents

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Research is the cornerstone of many innovations. It helps bridge the gap between the present and the future and new technologies, strategies, resources, and ideas are explored. Despite the importance of research the step evaluating the fit between research findings and the customer’ business model is often underappreciated.

In order for research to deliver the results need to be valid outputs:

• Effective
• Relevant, and
• Supported

Outputs that cannot be integrated into existing structures, processes, and technologies are considered disruptive and carry significantly more implementation risks.

These disruptive outputs also represent an opportunity for increased rewards if their value is realized. Product differentiation may not be enough as customers evaluate the innovation against the three criterion mentioned above. Innovations that are unable to differentiate themselves (price, cost, quality, impact, or value, etc.) are less likely to be ‘adopted.’

Research innovation requires a process based approach that insures that the opportunities explored will solve an existing issue or problem.

In academia these issues may largely represent questions and gaps in information where in the technology space it may involve functionality, ease of use, or interactivity (to name a few).

Understanding the problem becomes central to developing an effective research program and structuring the product development cycle.

The following components should be included in every research project management plan.

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Research Project Management Using MSProject

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The following project structure was built out in Microsoft Project 2016 and includes a generic framework for planning your next research project.

This hypothetical research project was built out along the five project management process groups: Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring & Controlling, and Closeout.

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Project Sequence Activity

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The following activity involves sorting the images according to the project planning and implementation sequence. Hint: The project sequence is aligned with the five project management process groups.

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Delivering Research Projects as a Product

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Project management does not represent a one size fits all approach. Each project is individually tailored to fit the tools, culture, resources, and goals of the project environment. In contract settings this tailoring takes on an additional challenge where the project structure may only exist within the project office with a completely different structure and process used in the business customer’s environment.

Using the following project management tools can deliver additional value as mechanisms that increase alignment, engagement, and feedback across the project life-cycle. These are particularly useful in distributed and virtual networks and when working with new customers unfamiliar with the project management framework.

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Conclusions

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Project structure will often vary depending on the type of products being developed, how the product will be used, and the process used to deliver the project. A waterfall approach is used when the project team can confidently plan out the project stages in advance and the risks, budget, and resources are already known.

An agile approach is used when requirements, specifications, and risks are to be confirmed in an iterative fashion throughout the project life-cycle. The agile mindset supports sprints, scrum, and the software development life-cycle model where the waterfall approach is often considered a fit for project, strategic, and operations planning.

Understanding what approach is needed can differentiate business’ that are able to deliver a project successfully and those that struggle with cost, quality, and scope.

Research projects are particularly difficult in that collection of the wrong data, metrics, or using the wrong process/ model can invalidate the entire study.

Statistical tools are available to strengthen insights in the midst of poor quality control but not poor planning. The initiation and planning stages are crucial to project success and are even more critical in research projects.

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Research Management Plan

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The following tool is available for creating the first draft of your research management plan. Once all of the fields are completed you have the option to export and download the document. The tools is structured similarly to the above template and follows the five project management process groups.