To get started and then be ready in time
Rune Olsson PIE, IEI, LiU
To Get Started and then be ready in time
Basic Management of Research Projects. PhD- course.
Date and place: 2016 23 Mars (room 3C:817) at 9.15-1600, 30 Mars (room 2B:851) and 6 April (room 3C:817). All
rooms in the A-building, Campus Valla.
Goal.
After the course the participants will be able to improve their personal planning of their own research projects.
Target group
All research students at LiU. No prerequisites. 1,5 hp.
Purpose:
To introduce and train basic elements and methods within personal planning and project management.
The methods will be applicable directly in the own research project and useful in industry.
Get to know other doctoral students.
General idea about the course:
The course will expose you to issues and questions that are found to be important to think about in order to get a successful research
process.
The questions are often of a general nature. You've probably encountered some of them before.
Perhaps you already have a good answer to them.
Perhaps there are several questions that you have not put yourself or questions you need to investigate further.
This is the time for it. Just make the assignments gradually as the course rolls on – at the level of your present understanding.
Please be open to the new aspects.
Afterwards you will see your whole picture.
Learning new things needs change in the behavior.
Changes that might be experienced as “heavy” to do.
Remember then that that feeling is very good to recognize because you are on your “boarder of yourself” (like clasped hands) – You
are about to expand your concept of “the world”.
Content:
 To get started in the right way with a longer work.
 Industrial Project Management: WBS and PBS. Mini-risk analysis. Consequence Management. Milestone plan.
Time schedules. Stakeholder analysis. Chart for responsibilities. Success factors. Document presenting goals and
plans for projects.
 Effective problem solving. Simple creative tools.
 Co-operation with others in the project team, communication and dealing with conflict of opinion.
 Co-operation with supervisor/clients.
 Personal effectiveness: to be an effective academic.
 Dealing with the stress from yourself and others in the daily work.
Type of teaching
The seminars are held in three days: 23, 30 Mars and 6 April 2016, 9.15 – 16.00 each day.
After a short lecture about a model the participants apply the model in their own projects especially in the tasks.
The scope is totally one week’s work with three tasks that are done in the days between seminars.
No prerequisites.
Literature:
 Articles are distributed at the seminars.
You will find them on http://www.iei.liu.se/pie/olsson-rune/material/attkommaigang?l=sv.
 Estelle M.Phillips and D S Pugh: How to get a PhD. Handbook for students and supervisors. Open University
Press. ISBN 0335216854 (pb) (excerpts from). Available as e-book at the library.
Reference literature.
Deborah Tannen: That’s not what I meant! 1987. Ballantine (Also in swedish: Det var inte så jag menade)
 Jon Katzenbach: The wisdom of teams. 2005. McGraw-Hill.
 Edward de Bono: Edward De Bono’s Thinking Course. 2005. BBC Active. (also in swedish: Tanketräning)
 Edward de Bono: Six thinking hats. 2010. Penguin. (Also in swedish: Sex tänkande hattar)
 Tonnquist; Project Management 2008. Bonniers. (also in swedish: Projektledning)
Teacher:
Rune Olsson, PIE (Project, innovations och entrepreneurship), IEI, Linköping University.
www .iei.liu.se/pie/olsson-rune, rune.olsson@liu.se and rune@pulsro.se.
Examination:
Presenting personal assignments and participation in the seminars. Examiner: Rune Olsson, PIE / IEI
To get started and then be ready in time
Rune Olsson PIE, IEI, LiU
Schedule
Day 1
Theme
Details
23 Mars
room 3C:817
To get ready in time.
Systematic planning
Personal working styles
To break down a larger assignment in
workable activities.
To get started the right way.
03-1
Problem solving styles
02
03-2
From WBS to milestones and areas of
responsibility. Risk analysis. Success
factors.
To start a project group the right way
Disposition of project documents
Group dynamics
Mental training for daily life
Dealing with stress and pressure.
03-1
01-1
01-2
05
No 1: send to Rune before 28 Mars.
03-1
No 2: Bring to day 2.
07
Assignements 1 Make a project plan according to the
check list discussed.
between day
Bring them on paper or in the lap-top.
1 and 2
2 Do the conflict exercise. Will be
handed out.
Day 2
30 Mars
room 2B:851
Run-through your project plans.
Comparison between project methods
for the university and industry.
Dealing with the stress from yourself
and others in the daily project work
04
The first steps.
05
Who are your support people?
Communication
06
Dealing with conflict of opinion
07
No1: send to Rune before 5 April.
No 2: Bring the time-study on day 3
09
Personal effectiveness
The time study
11
How did you use your time?
We use the model: “Reflect
afterwards” in order to see if
something could have be done more
effectively.
Dealing with risks
Stakeholder analysis.
09
10
Building relations
Co-operation with others in the project
team
Assignements 1. Do the exercise: dealing with risks.
2. Do a time study on how you use
between day
your time during one week.
2 and 3
Day 3
6 April
room 3C:817
Dealing with pressure in everyday life
Co-operation with supervisor, stake
holders and clients.
Building relations
Mental training for daily life
Effective problem solving
And what happens after this?
Follow-up from all days
Who are your support people?
Follow-up from day 1 and 2.
Comparison in pairs,
Matrix for decision,
Brain-writing
How do you make clear in your daily
work what you want to bring from
these days?
Evaluate your Learning Contract
05
08