University of Trieste

PHD school in Nanotechnology

How to Manage a Research Project

or “What do I do now I’ve got the grant?”Tim R.L. Fry

School of Economics, Finance & Marketing

What is a Project?• A planned undertaking [according to the webster dictionary] • A one-time endeavor, delineated by a start and a

completion• A typical project will have:

– A charter (or mission)– Requirements/Specifications– Deliverable(s)– Resources (people, money, materials, time, knowledge)– Constraints– Risks– Deadline(s)

• The project manager is the facilitator for the project• Project Management is a “role” someone must play• Project Management deals with the art and science of

making projects happen!

Why need Project Management?

• Project Complexity• Division of responsibilities - specialization• Knowledge & Expertise – breadth vs.depth• A typical tri-partite project leadership model:

– Business Lead – owner of the purpose (know why)– Technical Lead – subject matter expert (know how)– Project Manager – make happen (know when; know

who)– All Three – work as a team (all must know what)

What do good project managers do?

• They Manage the entire Project Life Cycle and make sure it aligns with the vision & mission (strategy & charter)

• They Make Things Happen

They Manage Resources :

•Time•Money•People•Intellectual Capital

To Drive :

•Efficiency•Productivity•Effectiveness, &•Optimal Deployment of Resources

How do they do it?• They Organize the Team• They Plan & schedule• They Manage the

– Deliverables– Resources – time, money, people, knowledge– Priorities– Expectations– Risks– Project Life Cycle

• They Communicate• They Monitor and Measure (set up metrics)• They Document• They Review, and make sure lessons are

learned

What did you get and what do you need?

• Great to get the funding but were you:• Exactly funded?

– Assuming that you correctly budgeted and costs haven’t changed then the project is on the starting grid.

• Over funded?– Maybe you padded the budget or costs are not as

high as projected.• Under funded?

– Maybe the project wasn’t fully funded (time or funds cut) or costs have risen.

What did you promise?

• Revisit the project– Can it still be done?– Do you have to modify and, if so, how?– Is it still viable?– Can the stated outputs still be delivered?

• Return to the funding body (bodies) for clarification.

• Seek new or extra funds from elsewhere– Is this feasible?

On the starting grid• Large amounts of paperwork to attend to!• Contract/Funding Agreement/Letter of

Engagement– Terms and conditions. Timelines. Reporting

requirements.• Prepare your budget

– When does the income arrive?– What are you spending money on?– When is the expenditure required?– What are the rules – funding body and university –

concerning expenditures?

Starting the project• Most projects will involve you working with

others• These could be others “on the grant” who

might be– “equals”, “junior”, “senior” researchers

• Do researchers need to be recruited?– Assistants, Associates, Fellows.

• Are these recruits to hand or where might we find them?– How long will it take to recruit? Can they be found?

Running the project• Manage your time, resources (people, equipment,

money, space)– Does your school actually have the space and other

resources required?– Budgets need to be assessed on a regular basis

• Manage others’ time and resources– Deal with administrative issues such as time sheets

• Hit milestones. • Produce Progress Reviews• Produce Reports/Outputs

RMIT University©

Closing thoughts• Successfully managing your successful

research project requires a number of skills– Time management skills– Resource management skills– People management skills– Negotiation skills– Project management skills

• NOT the skills that you made you successful in getting your project funded!

ONE LAST THOUGHT …

Remember you actually have to do the research!

Project managements in practice

• Project Coordination (GANTT) • Meetings and communication flows• Deliverables• Milestones• Financial issues

Communication structures / Communication flows

• Meetings (scopi differenti)• Phone conferences• Web-based communication platforms

(extranet)• Internal newsletter,…• Reporting structures• Meetings:

Deliverables• Example one (basic) • Example two (application and results)

Milestones• One example

University of Trieste

PHD school in Nanotechnology

Financial issues

1.Payment modalities

– One pre-financing (upon entry into force) for the whole duration

– Interim payments based on financial statements (payment = cost accepted * funding rate)

– Retention (10%)– Final payment

2. Eligible Costs (1)– Eligible

• actual*• during duration of project• in accordance with its usual accounting and

management principles • recorded in the accounts of benficiary

– non-eligible (identifiable indirect taxes including VAT…)

2. Eligible Costs (2)– *Average personnel costs accepted if :

– Consistent with the management principles and accounting practices &

– they do not significantly differ from actual personnel costs= if identified according to a methodology approved by the Commission (NEW)

3. Indirect Cost :• For all:

– either actual overhead or simplified method– flat rate of 20% of direct costs minus subcontracting

and 3rd parties not used on the premises of the beneficiary.

• For Non profit Public Bodies, Secondary and Higher Education establishments, Research Organisations and SMEs unable to identify real indirect costs, may apply for a flat rate of 60% for funding schemes with RTD.

4. Certification (5)– Who can provide these certificates :– Qualified auditors under the 8th Directive– Independent– Public bodies, secondary and higher education

establishments and research organisations may opt for a competent public officer

Maximum reimbursement

rates of eligible costs

Research and technological

development (*)

Demonstration

activities

Training activities

Management

of the consortium

activities

Other

activities (**)

Network of excellence

100%

100%

Collaborative

project

50%

75% (***)

50%

100%

100%

100%

Research

project for the benefit of specific

groups (SMEs)

50%

75% (***)

50%

100%

100%

100%

Coordination and support

action

100% (****)

100% (****)

100% (****)

(*) Research and technological development includes operational activities directly related to the protection of foreground and coordination of research activities. (**) Other activities means any "specific activity" covered by Annex I. (***) For beneficiaries that are non profit public bodies, secondary and higher education establishments, research organisations and SMEs (****) The reimbursement of indirect eligible costs, in the case of coordination and support actions, may reach a maximum 7% of the direct eligible costs, excluding the direct eligible costs for subcontracting and the costs of reimbursement of resources made available by third parties which are not used on the premises of the beneficiary.

Reporting (1)• Periodic reports to be submitted by coordinator

60 days after end of period:• - progress of the work• - use of the resources and • - Financial Statement (Form C)

• Final reports to be submitted by coordinator 60 days after end of project:

• - publishable summary report, conclusions and socioeconomic impact

• - covering wider societal implications and a plan on use and dissemination of results

Reporting (2) • Commission has 105 days to evaluate and

execute the corresponding payment • No tacit approval• After reception Commission may:

– Approve– Suspend the time-limit requesting

revision/completion– Reject them giving justification, possible termination– Suspend the payment

Dissemination• Define stakeholders

– Accademia, Industria, Consumer groups, general public

• Dissemination Plan– Websites, Pubblications, Workshop for industry

• Presentations– Always make use of project template

• Prepare flyers – following the template

• Prepare newsletter– Translate it in all languages

• Events– At least one event

at the end of the project