10 Challenges of EU Research Projects … … and How to Surmount Them

1. 10 Challenges of EU Research Projects …… and How to Surmount Them Dr. Martin Spieck DLR – German Aerospace Center Hamburg (text version of presentation)

2. Hamburg Stade DNW Neustrelitz Trauen Braunschweign nGöttingen ETW nKöln-Porz nBonn Bad Godesberg nLampoldshausen nStuttgart Augsburg nOberpfaffenhofen Weilheim DLR is Germany's national research centre for aeronautics and space. 7400 employees 32 research institutes / scientific institutions located at n 8 sites,  8 locations, and agencies in Brussels, Paris, Washington and Tokyo. Participation of DLR at:  European Transonic Wind Tunnel (ETW)  Deutsch-Niederländische Windkanäle (DNW)

3. 53% 53% 51% 49% 50% 46% 46% 44% 40% 40% 35% 34% 30% 33% 32% 31% 29% 28% 28% 27% 20% 26% 24% 23% 19% 10% 18% 16% 15% 0% 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 200 2004 2006 2009 Successful projects? successful failed challenged Quelle: Standish Group (Boston, MA, USA)

4. (1) Research projects are special. • Research = new territory, uncertainty • Nightmare situation for project managers …… common reaction: micromanagement • provides illusion of control • slows down progress, impairs results • no other positive effects • Quality, not quantity • scientific / technical know-how and experience essential for reliable assessment of progress

5. (2) There is no „silver bullet“ for proposals. • A well planned and well written proposal is a prerequisite, not a guarantor of success • There is no magic formula,(e.g. consortium or team composition, must-have trends, buzz-words) - exception: „EC vocabulary“ • A proposal is more than an elaborate project plan – possible guides for good proposals:marketing / popular science / business plan

6. (3) A proposal has a target audience of three: the evaluators. • The „first impression principle“ also applies for proposals ( you have app. 30 seconds) • Evaluators have individual habits to start reading a proposal (exec. summary, abstract, 1st chapter, …) • Make it easy for the evaluator to fill in his evaluation sheet  evaluation sub-criteria • Make an educated guess of who is going to evaluate your proposal

7. (4) Smart project planning aligns individual agendas with the overall objectives. • partners have to be committed – not necessarily to the project, but to their part • when a proposal is being developed, most partners do not lay their cards on the table • your tools: active listening, level of feedback, joint proposal writing (good test case) • the higher art of project planning is:make it altruistic to be egoistic

8. (5) It is not a good idea to focus on everything. • Most research projects rest on three „pillars“: methodology, tools, results • You cannot expect excellent achievements in all three of these areas • A project is already excellent if • it delivers excellent achievements in one area, • provides „advanced level“ in another area, and • achieves a pragmatic „average level“ in the third.

9. (6) Efficient management of large projects: the „project of projects“ • Large projects, i.e budget > 5 M€ or with more than12 partners, are difficult to handle • Alternative to expensive management layer:split project into rel. independent sub-parts • minimises risk (of complete failure) • taps „hidden“ management resources (managers with good technical/scientific know-how) • requires autonomy for the sub-projects (= matter of trust)

10. (7) Smart reporting: administrative duties do not have to be a bureaucratic burden. • Periodic reports are a management tool • concentrate on the essential information • Make it really easy (<30 min.) for the project team to create periodic reports … • … but enforce reasonale reporting (meeting deadlines, proper facts) • It all starts with good prior planning • Rule of thumb:12 reports per project / min. 3 per year

11. (8) The purpose of a meeting is not to meet, it is to work. • „7P“ (proper pre-meeting planning prevents poor performance) • Distribute „status info“ (e.g. results) one week prior to the meeting … • … and ensure that participants have digested them • Follow-up on action items briefly (!) at the beginning • Have at least half of meeting devoted to constructive and/or collaborative issues • Don‘t waste the opportunity when everyone is at the table: solve problems, plan ahead, get things done!

12. (9) Always keep your officer informed. • Your EC project officer is on your side:Your success is also his/her success • Sell your project, but sell it honestly(the good, the bad, the ugly) • A P.O. who feels deceived, out-of-the-loop or twitted will cover his/her back. Bad for you! • Accept individual preferences or „spleens“ • You are the PoC of your project – do not accept „bypathing“ from partners

13. (10) Mind the gap!Traps which migth be fatal for your project…