4. Project Management & Research Strategy

Question 1

What is the purpose of research projects?

Answer 1

To carry out research to answer a specific question in a project
The question must be unique and have a specific start & end point

Question 2

What other factors are involved in a successful research project?

Answer 2

Planned in advance
Well resourced (e.g. money, time, people)

Question 3

What is involved in the project process?

Answer 3

Source funding & other resources
Project Mandate (discussion, feasibility, setting out requirements)
Project Initiation (project management methodology, PID, project plan, resources)
Project running
Project close down

Question 4

What does a project plan involve?

Answer 4

Resources (who, what, how many, when & where)
Tasks (what, when (schedule), who, where, with what)
Monitoring process
Risk
Budget/finance
Quality
Maintenance
Time

Question 5

Describe the tasks process

Answer 5

1. Identify tasks/activities
2. Analyse into manageable tasks
3. Order into logical sequence of events
4. Consider external constraints
5. Estimate resources
6. Allocate resources
7. Agree a plan (PID)
8. Stick to plan (adjust if needed)
9. Review regularly

Question 6

What tools can be used for research?

Answer 6

Interviews
Questionnaire
Observation
Focus group

Question 7

Describe the purpose for each research tools

Answer 7

Interviews - in depth answers to complex questions
Questionnaire - gain large amount of general information (tool used to carry out survey)
Observation - see how things are actually done
Focus group - ask sample group their opinions

Question 8

PID (Project Initiation Document) features

Answer 8

Document details
Purpose of document
Client background
Aim & objectives
Assumptions
Constraints
Deliverables
Risk
Quality
Tasks & timescales
Monitoring & control

Question 9

Project tasks process

Answer 9

1. Initiation
2. Identify topic
3. Draft question
4. Initial secondary research
5. Re-evaluate
6. Primary & secondary research
7. Report