Session 2: Strategic Research Management
Learning Objectives:
- Adapt the applied research methods and tools depending on the context of the VET applied research assignment.
- Handle different types of research projects.
- Adapt one’s skills to be able to handle different VET assignment projects.
Session 2 focuses on Research Management Practices.
The aim of introducing these management practices—covering project management, risk assessment, change management, data management, stakeholder engagement, communication, and technology/tools—is to equip researchers with essential skills for adaptability and flexibility in dynamic research environments. These practices are designed to enhance researchers’ ability to adapt to evolving project needs and challenges while remaining flexible in their approaches. By integrating these practices, the session aims to improve researchers’ ability to be adaptable and flexible, hence ultimately leading to more resilient research outcomes.
You are invited to study the following Project Management Guide for Researchers. The Guide aims to introduce the concept of project management and communicate the value project management can add to research projects. The guide highlights and explains key project management processes that will help you in the management of a research project. Among others, the Guide introduce you to the concepts of “scope creep”, the “progressive elaboration” technique and the necessity of “change control systems” in order to effectively monitor change. The guide also refers to other areas of importance for effective research project management, such as project risk, research data management and project communication. Establishing a solid understanding of organizing, planning and executing research projects is the foundation of being adaptive and flexible throughout the whole research project.
You are encouraged to use this guide as an educational tool to apply project management best practices in your research efforts. The estimated time to read this guide is 1 hour.
A Project Management Guide for Researchers
Activity
After reading the Guide, you are prompt to complete the following quiz in order to assess your understanding on the concepts, processes and techniques described in the Guide. The estimated time to fill out this quiz is 30 minutes.
Building on the Guide above, proceed with reading the following article online to familiarize yourself with Research Risk Assessment, a process designed to identify and mitigate potential research risks and harms. Understanding this process is essential for maintaining flexibility and adaptability throughout the research project. The article attempts to answer the following questions: what is project risk management and why is important. It provides an overview of common project risks types – such as scope changes, operational risks (including data loss) and market risks. Most importantly, the article provides a comprehensive 5-step risk management process along with tailored techniques to handle unexpected and potentially hazardous events. The expected time for reading the article is 1 hour.
Project Risk Management: A Guide to Mitigating Risks in 5 Steps
Following your study of the Project Risk Management Guide, we invite you to read the two following online articles, “10 Best Practices for Effective Data Management” and “Top Data Management Platforms & Software” elaborating on effective Data Management and providing tools and practices for handling research data effectively. Managing data effectively enhances one’s ability to be adaptable and flexible when conducting research. The estimated time to read both articles is 1 hour.