Project management in research
- Vitae Researcher Development Framework 2010
descriptor C2.2 - Vitae RDF 2025 3.2
Project management: planning and delivery
Effective project management is essential for research success. From setting objectives to navigating risks, managing people, and balancing competing demands, project management skills enable you to deliver impactful results on time and within scope.
This guide provides key insights into project management for researchers, offering practical advice to enhance your skills and achieve your research goals.
What is project management in research?
Project management involves using tools and techniques to plan, implement, and deliver projects effectively. In research, it encompasses:
- Stakeholder management: Understanding and addressing the needs of those invested in your project.
- Scope definition: Clarifying project boundaries and objectives.
- Resource allocation: Balancing time, finances, and personnel to meet goals.
- Risk assessment: Identifying potential obstacles and planning mitigations.
- Progress tracking: Monitoring milestones and adapting plans as needed.
A successful project manager combines strategic planning with attention to day-to-day details, ensuring both short-term progress and long-term impact.
Why is project management important in research?
Research projects are inherently complex. They often involve multiple objectives, stakeholders, and variables, requiring careful coordination. Effective project management helps researchers:
- Maximise time and resources.
- Anticipate and overcome challenges.
- Meet stakeholder expectations, including funders and collaborators.
- Deliver high-quality outputs that align with research goals.
By honing your project management skills, you enhance not only your research outcomes but also your career prospects, as these are highly transferable skills valued across sectors.
Steps to effective project management
- 1. Identify your stakeholders
List all individuals or groups with an interest in your project, such as supervisors, collaborators, funders, or participants.
Understand their expectations and priorities, ensuring open communication throughout the project.
- 2. Define the scope
Clarify what the project will achieve and its boundaries.
Agree on the scope with stakeholders to avoid later misunderstandings.
- 3. Allocate resources
Assess the people, equipment, and budget required.
Ensure resources align with project goals without over-promising results.
Plan for training if additional skills are needed.
- 4. Break tasks into manageable chunks
Use a work breakdown structure (WBS) to divide the project into smaller, actionable tasks.
Assign durations and track progress at the task level.
- 5. Manage risks
Identify potential risks, assess their likelihood and impact, and develop contingency plans.
Regularly revisit your risk analysis to adapt to changes.
- 6. Create and manage a plan
Use tools appropriate for the project size, such as Gantt charts, spreadsheets, or project management software.
Ensure plans are flexible and updated regularly to reflect progress and changes.
- 7. Communicate and review
Schedule regular check-ins with team members and stakeholders.
Align communication with key project milestones.
Use review meetings to celebrate achievements, address challenges, and plan next steps.
- 8. Monitor scope and constraints
Stay focused on your objectives but be prepared to adapt to new discoveries or challenges.
Balance constraints of time, cost, and quality.
Enhancing your project management skills
Use SMART objectives
Set goals that are:
- Specific: Clear and targeted.
- Measurable: Trackable to monitor progress.
- Advantageous: Motivating by linking to personal or professional benefits.
- Realistic: Achievable within available resources.
- Time-limited: Bound by deadlines.
Leverage tools and techniques
- Use Gantt charts for visualising timelines and dependencies.
- Explore mind-mapping software for brainstorming and planning.
Reflect and adjust
- Allow time for reflection alongside action.
- Regularly revisit your plan, reviewing progress and adapting to new challenges or opportunities.
Develop transferable skills
- Strengthen communication, teamwork, and leadership capabilities.
- Seek opportunities to lead smaller projects to build confidence and experience.
Examples of evidence
- Statement
I understand project management cycles and am able to draw on a range of project management tools and techniques. - Situation
As a Postdoctoral researcher in my first post, I have specific responsibility for one aspect of a larger research project. Our research project has clearly defined strategic goals. However, a workplan did not exist in the level of detail I needed to organise my own work and contributions to the project. - Task
To establish a project plan specifically for my programme of work which will enable our research team to achieve its overall strategic goal. - Action
I verified and clarified the scope of my area of the project with my PI to ensure I was clear what I was expected to achieve. I established my own project plan which set out my areas of responsibility and the goals I was working to. I set out the tasks and sub tasks I needed to achieve and applied this to the timeframe of the project. Furthermore, I considered the resources I needed and contemplated the areas of risk and conflict that may have an impact and built in some contingencies. - Result
This project plan is an active document. I use it to plan my work on a weekly basis and use it to inform the rest of the research group and my PI on my progress.
Examples of evidence
- Statement
I am able to manage multiple projects. I can take unpopular but evidenced-based appropriate decisions. - Situation
In my role as a Senior Programme Manager, I had overarching responsibility to oversee the successful completion of a programme of events and projects. These projects were initiated by myself and my team to deliver a number of objectives outlined in our contract, and to be achieved within a specified budget. In addition, I had personal responsibility for managing some specific projects myself including a national conference. - Task
I had to both lead my team effectively in the delivery of our overarching programme of projects and events as well as manage my own time effectively. I had to ensure that we had the right resources at the right time and keep senior managers abreast of progress. - Action
I established an overarching workplan for the team. This was used to monitor progress towards key milestones and deliverables on all projects on a weekly basis. The process of regular updates also enabled us to identify bottle-necks of resources. Based on this evidence, I was able to seek resource from other areas of the business, or prioritise some activities over others depending on their importance and urgency. - Result
By the end of the year, the overall planned programme of work was delivered. In the instances where some activities had to be carried forward I ensured the relevant project sponsors were informed and understood why this was the case.
Key takeaways
- Project management is not just about keeping your research on track—it’s about maximising its impact. By combining strategic foresight with practical tools and interpersonal skills, you can ensure your research is both successful and meaningful.
- Whether managing a single project or balancing a portfolio of research initiatives, good project management lays the foundation for achieving your goals while adapting to the ever-changing demands of academia and beyond.