CAURA Ontario 2014

Project ManagementBest Practices

Alison Paprica

3

Alison Paprica: BackgroundPrior• Manager in pharmaceutical sector (Eli Lilly, Astra, Genpharm)• Manager, Performance Measurement & Results at Ontario Ministry

of Research & Innovation ($200 million+ annual research investment)

• Director, Planning, Research & Analysis Branch at Ontario Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care (up to $60 million annual health research investment)

Current• Director, Strategic Partnerships, Institute for Clinical Evaluative

Sciences• Principal, Research Project Management• Adjunct Lecturer (Project Management), Institute for Health Policy

Management & Evaluation, University of Toronto

4

Tip 1: Create a High-Level Plan• Research projects and programs are some of the most

challenging initiatives to manage– Innovative and uncertain– Increasingly crossing disciplines, institutions, geographies– Often involve multiple independent and diverse contributors

• In the absence of a plan, key project/program information may be spread across 100+ pages in different documents– Often some of this will be out of date (e.g., initial application for

funding)• Excellent return on investment from 3- 12 pages of up-to-date

summary high level planning information– e.g., covering scope, schedule, roles, constraints, key risks, budget etc.

5

Tip 2: Express Scope as Deliverables• Defining scope is often a strength of researchers, but– May focus on describing activities rather than deliverables– May not be benefiting from tools and processes that assist

in defining/managing complete scope • In defining scope think “nouns” not “verbs” and consider

using a work breakdown structure – See video at:

“Tools and Resources” page of www.researchpm.com

6

Tip 3: Build Buffer into Schedule• Tendency may be to begin with realistic planning at the start

of the timeline but overoptimistically compress activities the last months

• Better to build the schedule backwards allowing buffer at the end (compressing early activities if required)

• Decreases likelihood that final activities will be rushed andcompromise quality

Justine Richardson

Justine Richardson• Project Manager, 2030+ Group

– Wilfrid Laurier University faculty at Balsillie School of International Affairs

– Interdisciplinary approaches to issues in food security, poverty, health, migration and climate change

– 4 core faculty, 6 post docs, 15 students– Range of projects: $2.5 Million Hungry Cities Partnership to $0

(project design & development phase)• Previously, Matrix – 13 years in project development and

management in interdisciplinary digital humanities research centre at Michigan State University; Message Makers; Appalshop

Define the work• Schedule time to do this planning.• Identify areas of activity and people involved• Work back from end dates/outputs/expected

outcomes.• What needs to be completed?• Who will do it? (do they have the resources needed)• When? (build in buffer time)• Write it down in one place (spreadsheet, document,

planning tool, google doc)• Schedule time to monitor - review and update

Communicate CreatingAccess & Transparency

• Stakeholders– Bring people together early and at key points– Define circles of key people involved in management and

activities & regularly communicate• Shared access to key items (Dropbox folders, Google

docs, wiki – schedule time to update)• Effective organization of folders can be converted from

proposal preparation to project management (pre-award -> post-award). Schedule time to clean up after deadline.

• Project Manual (procedures, contacts, access to policies, research methods)

Anticipate Challenges

• Take time early to discuss potential risks as part of the planning process

• Many agencies making this part of proposal development process requirements

• Benefits: if it does come to pass, your team has thought about it

• More importantly: you may be able to do something early that would help PREVENT the risk from occurring.

• Revisit regularly

Mary McNally

Mary McNally: BackgroundCurrent• Research Associate/Project Manager with International Tobacco

Control Policy Evaluation Project (ITC)• ITC Project conducts longitudinal surveys on tobacco use in 22

countries• Latin American countries (Brazil, Uruguay, and Mexico):

project management and knowledge dissemination• Project Manager in Waterloo for Population Assessment of

Tobacco and Health Project (PATH) – large tobacco use survey in the United States

Prior• Administrative and Financial management for ITC Project –

coordinating multi-grant funding for project • Worked closely with UW Office of Research

ITC Project Management Challenges

• International communication– Language– Time zone– Culture

• Administrative hurdles– Contracts, Service Agreements, MOUs– Fund transfers– Ethics

• Documentation and Filing

Tip 1: Effective emails• Careful consideration of language– Tactful and clear– Detailed yet succinct– Professional yet friendly

• Open and accountable to whole team– Copying team members and institutional personnel– Identify and highlight people and tasks

• Attachment issues – Naming, dating, version numbering, initials– Size and internet service

Tip 2: Know your institutional/administrative support• Home and away

- Embrace the differences in systems• They have information you and the team need

- Can delay or progress the project• Understand their process

- Research task readiness and administrative system timeframes are often at odds

• Open and accountable communication- Copy on relevant emails with team

Tip 3: Take time to file and document

• Again, emails- Previous email threads are enlightening- Subject lines important

• Create your project folders in large groupings- Sometimes file in more than one place- Collapse folders or create new specific folders after understanding the

work flow

• Project Manager software– Can be useful for documentation– Simpler tools for planning and monitoring

• Timelines (Gantt chart, etc.)• Outlook Calendar to do list

Sarah Brown

Director: Dr. Daniel ScottAssociate Director: Sarah Brown (BES, MPL)

• Established in 2008, building on 25 previous years of climate change research and practice at UW

• IC3’s Mission is to provide relevant scientific input to improve decision-making in business, government and civil society for preparing and responding effectively to weather events and climate change

• 63+ affiliated faculty members with diverse expertise including actuarial science, urban planning, community health, & hydrology

3 Grantors

6 Partner Organizations

5 electric and natural gas energy utility companies (data providers) 3 consulting firms6 direct reports… and a community-at-large

Plan for input and decision-making

• How will input be gathered and when?• What is the governance and decision-

making structure?5.0 DECISION MAKING

Parties A, B, and C will make every attempt to operate on a consensus decision-making model which involves:

• collaboratively generating a proposal • identifying unsatisfied concerns• modifying the proposal to generate as much agreement as possible

If consensus cannot be achieved after two successive meetings at least one week apart to discuss the same issue, a decision will be made by majority vote of the Administration Committee, with parties A, B, and C each having one vote.

The Project Manager will be authorized to independently make day-today operating decisions, including approval of purchases that directly align with the agreed-upon budget and work plan.

Make the most of meetings• Invite the right attendees• Pick the right location• Set objectives (i.e. know why you’re

meeting)• Circulate agenda ahead of time• Appoint a good facilitator• Stay focused• Make decisions• Set clear actions/next steps• Follow-up ASAP

Hone your facilitation skills• Review objectives• Stay on time• Limit sidetracked

conversation• Summarize and repeat

back what you’re hearing, ask for clarification

• Encourage participation

• Ensure next steps are written down

• Wrap it up

Alison Papricaalison.paprica@researchpm.com

Justine Richardsonjrichardson@balsillieschool.ca

Mary McNallymary.mcnally@uwaterloo.ca

Sarah Browns6brown@uwaterloo.ca

Questions?