AWRC Voices: Project Management for Research Projects
In the first of the new AWRC Voices series, Claire Woodward, the AWRC’s Programmes and Planning Manager discusses the benefits and challenges of dedicated project management support for research projects.
Dedicated project management support for a research project isn’t something you would traditionally see. There is often an expectation that the principal investigator (PI) leading the project or even a research assistant will undertake the role. In some cases, this is sufficient, for example, when a project is relatively small in terms of length, complexity, budget or stakeholders.
At the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC), several of our recent large-scale projects have included dedicated project management support. Over the last two years, we have started to see evidence that for these larger scale complex projects, the inclusion of an experienced project manager can add significant value to the project delivery.
As programmes and planning manager, I have had the opportunity to provide such dedicated project management for three of these research projects. Two of these projects have recently completed while the third is in the very early stages of delivery. Feedback from project teams has been overwhelmingly positive, indicating the role contributes to the success and timely delivery of the projects.
“Having Claire as the project manager on the Integrated Care Board-funded Active Wait project was extremely valuable. She was able to efficiently co-ordinate tasks and keep the team on track throughout the project. As an external partner, having a project manager really helped me – as Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (STH) project lead – to gather all the appropriate information needed to navigate the hospital’s governance processes. Without this, it would have been significantly more time consuming.”
Ellie Beck, Lead Clinician and Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, STH
A key benefit of dedicated project management that we have observed is the freeing up of PIs’ time which allows them to focus their expertise on project delivery. Often, PIs spend time working across multiple projects, so keeping track of all activity on each project can be a major challenge. Having a dedicated resource to manage this helps to ensure there is continued oversight across the full project. This, coupled with the implementation of project management methods such as implementing governance, monitoring progress, managing risks and identifying opportunities, helps to ensure the project is heading towards its goals on time and on budget.
“The project management support for the ENHANCE study has already been remarkable. For a PI, the set-up phase of a large project with multiple external collaborators can take over from the research itself and distract from multiple other research tasks on other projects. Having project management support means that these tasks have oversight and are completed on time. The researchers can then spend more time on delivering on what the funders require.”
Dr Catherine Homer, Associate Professor of Obesity and Public Health and PI for the ENHANCE project.
There can also be challenges when first implementing this model. Having a dedicated project manager can be a novel practice for some researchers, which may cause uncertainty among the team in the early stages. They may not be sure what to expect from a project manager, how best to work with them, or worry about excessive monitoring or micromanagement.
There are also considerations for the project manager. Each research project will have its own objectives, and different teams can have different expectations. It is crucial to develop good working relationships early in the project, and for the project manager to be clear that the role is not about monitoring individuals’ work, micromanagement or controlling a project but rather about maintaining an oversight in order to support and add value to the research team.
“The Active Wait project involved several organisations and required intricate management of resources, deliverables and milestones. As project lead I found the support of a dedicated project manager invaluable, it enabled me to maintain a focus on the strategic direction of the project and its clinical-academic context.”
Dr Rachel Young, Senior Research Fellow, Sheffield Hallam University
Several of our recent projects have had dedicated project management support costed in. While not all funders allow professional services support to be included in bids, where it is an option – and when the project is of a size or complexity that requires additional support – we have seen first-hand how it can help a project to achieve its objectives.
Building on the success we have seen through the implementation of project managers, the AWRC is introducing a community of practice that will bring together professional services staff supporting the projects across its four pillars. This will provide a forum for staff to share lessons learnt, new ways of working, new tools and techniques, share risks and opportunities to further enhance support for existing and new projects.