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Research Project Management. Dr.A.Indira Centre for Poverty Studies and Rural Development, ASCI. Capacity Building for Principals of DIETs 14 th March 2007. Learning Objectives. What is research? Generating a proposal Project management objectives Project life cycle
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Research Project Management Dr.A.Indira Centre for Poverty Studies and Rural Development, ASCI Capacity Building for Principals of DIETs 14th March 2007
Learning Objectives • What is research? • Generating a proposal • Project management objectives • Project life cycle • Diagram networks of project activities • Estimate the completion time of a project • Determine how to reduce the length of a project effectively
“if you want it done right, you may as well do it yourself”
Research? • Basic Research • Applied (Action) Research Action research -- a form of self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants in social situations to improve the rationality understanding the practices, and the situations in which carried out
Community-based action research -- explicit set of social values • is democratic, enabling the participation of all people. • is equitable, acknowledging people’s equality of worth. • is liberating, providing freedom from oppressive, debilitating conditions. • is life enhancing, enabling the expression of people’s full human potential. • (Stringer 1999: 9-10)
Resources • Public knowledge -- published" or made public. • Collaborative knowledge -- field incident database. • Shared personal knowledge -- notes, memos, job aids • Experiential knowledge -- experiential knowledge space. • A set of tools, test resources, and emulation systems which can simulate any of several customer operating environments
Generating a Proposal • Idea • hypothesis • Methodology • Budget • heads • Time Scheduling • Manpower
What is a project? • Any endeavor with objectives • With multiple activities • With defined precedent relationships • With a specific time period for completion • Examples? • A major event like a wedding • Any construction project • Designing a political campaign
Five Project Life Cycle Phases • Conception: identify the need • Feasibility analysis or study: costs benefits, and risks • Planning: who, how long, what to do? • Execution: doing the project • Termination: ending the project
Steps for Classroom Action Research • Decide on a question--Meaningful and important to you. • Read literature on your topic • Plan your overall research strategy and data collection strategies • Collect data (refine methods as needed) • Make sense of the data (qualitative and/or quantitative) • Reach conclusions about your question. What is the practical significance of your findings? • Take action based on your conclusions • Share your findings with others
Network Planning Techniques • Program Evaluation & Review Technique (PERT): • Developed to manage the Polaris missile project • Many tasks pushed the boundaries of science & engineering (tasks’ duration = probabilistic) • Critical Path Method (CPM): • Developed to coordinate maintenance projects in the chemical industry • A complex undertaking, but individual tasks are routine (tasks’ duration = deterministic)
Both PERT and CPM • Graphically display the precedence relationships & sequence of activities • Estimate the project’s duration • Identify critical activities that cannot be delayed without delaying the project • Estimate the amount of slack associated with non-critical activities
Gantt Chart Showing Each Activity Finished at the Earliest Possible Start Date
The Critical Chain Approach • The Critical Chain Approachfocuses on the project due date rather than on individual activities and the following realities: • Project time estimates are uncertain so we add safety time • Multi-levels of organization may add additional time to be “safe” • Individual activity buffers may be wasted on lower-priority activities • A better approach is to place the project safety buffer at the end
Coping Strategies 1. Don't Give Up2. Enlist the Help of Colleagues3. Keep a Positive Attitude4. Be Prepared to Compromise5. Be Generous6. Go Public7. Join a Local Action Research Group8. Establish a Reputation for Success9. Publish Reports in Journals10. Have Faith in Your Own Personal Knowledge
Most formidable challenges • capturing expert/novice and peer-to-peer exchanges, making this information readily accessible to anyone who requires it at a particular moment and context. • developing a strong sense of ownership among team members, leading to greater levels of collaboration, sharing, and knowledge documentation. • finding processes and modes of access that best fit the working styles and preferences of team members