Fundamentals of project planning and
proposal preparation
Dr. Ákos Kukovecz
University of Szeged
Department of Applied and Environmental Chemistry
Outline
•
•
•
•
•
Difference between project and proposal
Preparations for a new project
– Identify the topic: what do WE (=person, company, group etc) need?
– What are the best available solutions? („state of the art”)?
– Where shall we get money (funds) for the realization of the project? (own funds /
funding with the help of a proposal)
Project planning aids
Fundamentals of financial planning
What makes a winning proposal besides a good workplan:
– Why should they support us and not someone else? Demonstrate your abilities!
– What will be the benefits for the funding body if they support us? Matching
between our project and their strategic goals
– What guarantees that money spent on us is not wasted? Project management
planning, risk assessment, exploitation, dissemination..
– Importance of formalities: you MUST stick to the proposal call guidelines, no
deviations are allowed! Are we eligible for support at all? Do we have all the
signatures, authorization, permissions? Did we respect proposal length criteria?
Can we meet the submission deadline?
2/10
Difference between project and proposal
•
•
•
Project:
– A planned series of actions undertaken in our own organization,
– Has well-defined goals / objectives that should be met in a finite amount of
time
– Assigns certain resources (human and material) to help in reaching these
goals.
Projects consist of carefully designed series of activities. They have a general life
cycle:
– Project planning
– Project implementation
– Project assessment (+ exploitation and dissemination of results)
Proposal is a document prepared with a very specific goal: to get resources
(usually: financial) that will enable us to realize the project.
– Proposal contains the project planning.
– FIRST plan the project, THEN prepare proposal! Reverse order is a mistake!
Projects are supported by proposals. Project should never be created solely
because there is a possibility for proposal submission!
3/10
Outline
•
•
•
•
•
Difference between project and proposal
Preparations for a new project
– Identify the topic: what do WE (=person, company, group etc) need?
– What are the best available solutions? („state of the art”)?
– Where shall we get money (funds) for the realization of the project? (own funds /
funding with the help of a proposal)
Project planning aids
Fundamentals of financial planning
What makes a winning proposal besides a good workplan:
– Why should they support us and not someone else? Demonstrate your abilities!
– What will be the benefits for the funding body if they support us? Matching
between our project and their strategic goals
– What guarantees that money spent on us is not wasted? Project management
planning, risk assessment, exploitation, dissemination..
– Importance of formalities: you MUST stick to the proposal call guidelines, no
deviations are allowed! Are we eligible for support at all? Do we have all the
signatures, authorization, permissions? Did we respect proposal length criteria?
Can we meet the submission deadline?
4/10
Identify the topic of your project
•
•
•
•
It is MORE DIFFICULT to implement a project than to do nothing! Planning,
contracts, realization, audits, conflicts of interest etc.
Start a project if you can gain more by its implementation than the invested
time/effort/money etc.
Fundamental question: what do we need? New instrument? Organize a
conference? Start new research field? Increase workforce in the lab? Find new
markets? Modernize our process technology? …
What if you feel that you need improvement but can not exactly identify the field
where you should put the project effort?
– Flowchart overview of your research methodology, company, processing
technology etc. is very useful.
– Pareto analysis
– Brainstorming
– Ishikawa diagram
– Radar diagram
– SWOT analysis
5/10
Flowchart
Steps
1.
Identify process starting and ending points. Break long processes into
several subprocesses.
2.
Describe each process as a series of very simple, basic steps and decisions.
3. Use standard symbols to mark tasks.
Rules for flowchart preparation
1. Flowcharts should be compiled by the colleagues who are actually doing the
analyized work.
2. Make it possible for everyone to get involved.
3. Allow enough time for flowchart revision, free thinking, criticism etc.
6/10
Flowchart example
7/10
Pizzeria flowchart
Open shop
Has
cash?
Take order
no
yes
no
Close shop
yes
Prepare pizza
End of
working hours?
Deliver
8/10
Pareto analysis
Goal: select the really important factors from a large set of potential issues.
Base: 80-20 rule. 80 % of all problems (effects) are caused by only 20 % of all possible
causes
Works: on existing technogies (software, experiment, process plant, group of people)
where a large amount of data is available
Method: chart % distribution of problem occurances as a function of causes
Example: Purchase department
wasted too much time on asking for
corrections of order forms filled by
plant foremen. They collected data
on the reasons for 1 month:
The most common error was that
required information was missing.
A new Pareto study focused on this
issue revealed that the order forms
are too complex. They simplified
the forms and this has spread up
order times.
9/10
Improve pizzeria efficiency using Pareto analysis
Problem: on busy evenings some orders took unacceptably long time to
complete. To avoid this, they started making pizzas in advance. This
improved speed but also increased waste and reduced profit.
Data: number of pizza slices in each order on Thursday evening:
02122413121224341432232122122142212122121212
12121222121211222314223222123224224412223221
224212421721223121121222122121222424
10/10
Improve pizzeria efficiency using Pareto analysis
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Number of slices in an order
11/10
Improve pizzeria efficiency using Pareto analysis
Open shop
Has
cash?
Take order
no
yes
no
Close shop
Prepare pizza
Refill oven
yes
no
End of
working hours?
Deliver
yes
2 more slices
available?
12/10
Ishikawa (fishbone) diagram and brainstorming
•
•
Useful for uncovering the causes of a problem (phenomenon)
No quantifications! Lists all possible causes but not their probabilities.
Ishikawa diagram preparation is easier when (brainstorming):
•
Objective is to collect to largest possible amount of ideas in a given topic so that
new, alternative solutions can emerge.
•
One of the most frequently utilized creative aids.
•
Simple method. A brainstorming group can collect lots of ideas in a short time
without interfering with the concerned process itself
•
Possible disadvantages: participants may be frustrated by the status, prestige,
behavior and moral judgements (even nonverbal) of the others.
Brainstorming sessions MUST be free of criticism and evaluation!
13/10
How to prepare an Ishikawa diagram?
1.
2.
Identify the problem and write it to the right (head of the fish).
Brainstorm on the major potential causes. Arrange them around a horizontal line
(backbone of the fish) and draw the first lines (big bones).
When in lack of ideas, use the general categories:
Method
3.
Manpower
Material
Metrics
Environment
Equippment
Brainstorm on each major cause. Ask yourself: „How could this happen?” Write
answers as smaller bones connecting to the corresponding major bone. Repeat.
14/10
Ishikawa real life example: paediatric nutrition error
Bonnabry P et al. Qual Saf Health Care 2005;14:93-98
15/10
Radar (spider web) diagram
•
•
•
•
Comparison of small and middle sized multivariate datasets
Very useful when you must compare products/processes on the basis of very
differing variables
Useful for revealing deviations of the actual state from the desired/planned
statues, and identifying weak points
Drawback: does not assist simple „better / worse” type decisions
Uniform, strong performance
Several weaknesses
One weakness
Uniform, bad performance
16/10
Spiderweb
diagram
example:
health care
system
comparison
17/10
SWOT analysis
•
•
•
•
SWOT = Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
Situation analysis tool, not for direct problem solving.
Very useful for project planning. MUST HAVE in a good proposal!
Short, compact, interesting. Summary of the detailed information gathered
previously.
Inner
Outer
STRENGTHS:
Positive factors under
our control
WEAKNESSES:
Negative factors under
our control
OPPORTUNITIES:
Beneficial factors not
under our control. Our
strengths can be
exploited because of
them.
THREATS:
Negative factors from
outside that we can not
control. May reduce
chance of success and
increase risks.
Positive
Negative
18/10
SWOT real-life example: carbon nanotube based
chip cooling FP7 project
External origin
Internal origin
Helpful
to achieving the objective
STRENGTHS
-
high quality consortium members
-
good research infrastructure
-
complementary expertises
-
experience in EC framework program
networking
-
industrial partners are potential end
users of the developed new technology
-
leading university partner in network
can facilitate overseas exploitation
OPPORTUNITIES
-
-
Harmful
to achieving the objective
WEAKNESSES
-
EC FP networks can react slower to new
S/T results than individual RTD units
-
Financial possibilities of the consortium are
limited, third parties will be needed for large
scale exploitation
-
Three RTD partners are universities where
low-level researcher (undergraduate and
PhD student) fluctuation is high and more
training is necessary
THREATS
electronic industry in serious need of new cooling solutions
world CNT production capacity growing
fast, machinery costs and unit CNT
costs are decreasing
health effects of CNTs not fully understood
developing technologies that can compete with USA and Asia and are
high priority for the EC
-
alternative cooling methods could be more
feasible economically
CNT
growth
mechanism
not
fully
understood. Lower threshold for CNT
growth temperature could be difficult to
reach.
IPR issues may hinder exploitation
19/10
SWOT based strategical planning
•
•
•
Our organization (research group, person etc) can always choose from various
possible strategies
Valid project goal: development, investment, research etc. required by the most
important/beneficial strategy.
It is very easy to demonstrate why your project is necessary if your proposal
contains a good SWOT analysis.
S-O strategy:
Exploit our opportinities
based on our strenghts.
W-O strategy:
Get rid of our
weaknesses by using our
strengths.
S-T strategy:
Protection from threats
by relying on our
strengths
W-T strategy:
Protect our organization
from threats that target
our weaknesses.
20/10
State of the art: the best available solution
•
•
•
•
•
New ideas always have their roots in existing ones. Previous solutions, existing
products, existing but not yet satisfied needs, industrial or scientific trends etc.
Don’t reinvent hot water! If there is a working solution that suits your needs than it
is unnecessary to do research.
HOWEVER: adapting the existing solution to our local conditions, introducing it into
our technology, introducing a product or technology into our own country etc. Are
all valid project goals.
Your proposal (project) will be reviewed by experts who know the literature, the
technology and the market. If you can’t demonstrate them that YOU also know the
field, it will be difficult to convince them that your project would be any good….
How to get on overview of the state of the art?
– Ideally, you should really know your field of course….
– Use Google! Search for existing technologies and products, market analysis
reports, consumer surveys.
– Consult others: instrument manufacturers, solution providers, etc.
– Scientific literature: e.g. ISI Web of Science
– Patent literature: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/
– Search the project databases of funding agencies http://cordis.europa.eu/
21/10
Characteristics of a good „state of the art” intro
Good state of the art (SotA) introduction:
• Does not get lost in details
• Non-chronological! Refers to the origin of the field and discusses current situation
• Uses visual aids (figures,
• Uses data sources, cites data, gives credit to references
• Does not focus on the own results of the applicant. However, significant personal
accomplishments in the field should be mentioned.
• Gives a correct introduction to all available solutions including those that rival the
project. Why doing so, it directs attention to the market gap/missing
knowledge/develoment opportunity that our project aims at.
Objectives and „progress beyond the state of the art”:
• Clearly defines the goals we want to achieve by the project
• What do we want to accomplish? What results do we expect and on what
timescale?
• Uses quantitative indicators wherever possible. E.g. „…a chip 40% smaller than
previous ones”, or „GC detection limit decrease by 2 orders of magniture”
• Makes it clear why WE will succeed where other have not. What is the extra
knowledge/novel idea/cooperation opportinuty that we can input to the SotA? 22/10
Where shall we get money for the project?
100% self-financed project:
• Nem függünk a pályázat sikerességétől, a támogatási szerződéstől, nincsenek
extra törvényi kötelezettségeink (pl. közbeszerzés, fenntartás, disszeminációs
kényszer stb).
• Does not depend on proposal success or support contracts. No extra obligations
(e.g. public tenders, dissemination requirements, project upkeep phase etc)
• Allows faster response to new challenges
• HOWEVER, you still need to plan the project! Scheduling, work planning, cashflow, risk analysis etc. are all mandatory for your own sake.
Funded project:
• Funding intensity is seldom 100%. You will still need some funds of your own!
• Opens up huge possibilities that are out of your self-financing reach
• Huge administrative load, long upkeep phase after funding is stopped, more
possibilities for error. You may have to pay back the support and thus go
bankrupt 
• Funding agencies: university, foundations, municipalities, goverment bodies,
national scientific or R&D funds, Academy of Sciences, European Union etc.
23/10
Outline
•
•
•
•
•
Difference between project and proposal
Preparations for a new project
– Identify the topic: what do WE (=person, company, group etc) need?
– What are the best available solutions? („state of the art”)?
– Where shall we get money (funds) for the realization of the project? (own funds /
funding with the help of a proposal)
Project planning aids
Fundamentals of financial planning
What makes a winning proposal besides a good workplan:
– Why should they support us and not someone else? Demonstrate your abilities!
– What will be the benefits for the funding body if they support us? Matching
between our project and their strategic goals
– What guarantees that money spent on us is not wasted? Project management
planning, risk assessment, exploitation, dissemination..
– Importance of formalities: you MUST stick to the proposal call guidelines, no
deviations are allowed! Are we eligible for support at all? Do we have all the
signatures, authorization, permissions? Did we respect proposal length criteria?
Can we meet the submission deadline?
24/10
Fundamentals of project planning
Workplan
Risk analysis
Exploitation plan
Financial plan
Project
Management structure
Publicity
Formal requirements
Mandatory for
proposals
25/10
Tools used for project work planning
•
•
•
•
•
•
Problem tree, objective tree, logical framework matrix
Identify project start and endpoint
Distribute project work between large logical units (work packages) and
distribute actual to-do’s within work packages into tasks
Project planning overview: Pert diagram
Project scheduling overview: Gantt diagram
Identify internal progress monitoring tools: products (deliverables) and decision
points (milestones)
26/10
Problem analysis
• Identifying key
problems, constraints
opportunities;
• Determining
cause/effect
relationships
• Constructing the
problem tree
27
Objective analysis
•
Developing solutions from
the identified problem
•
Identifying means
to end effect relationship
•
Building the objective tree
28/10
Logframe matrix
Objectivly
veriable
indicators
Sources of
Verification
Means
Cost
Assumptions
Overall
Objectives
Purpose
Results
Activities
PRE
29
CONDITION
Logframe matrix
Description
Projekt leírás
ÁLTALÁNOS CÉLOK
(overall objectives)
PROJEKT CÉLJA
(project purpose)
Quantitative
result indicator
Means of
verification
Objektíven igazolható
eredményességi
mutató
Ellenőrzés forrásai
és eszközei
Assumptions:
out of our control
Feltételezések
HATÁS INDIKÁTOROK
(impact indicators)
CÉL INDIKÁTOROK
(result indicators)
VÁRT EREDMÉNYEK
(Expected results
v. output)
EREDMÉNY
INDIKÁTOROK
(output indicators)
TEVÉKENYSÉGEK
(Activities)
ESZKÖZÖK
(means v. inputs)
ELŐFELTÉTELEK
30/10
Logframe strategy levels (first column)
What do you want to achieve in your project?
ÁTFOGÓ CÉLOK
(overall objectives )
PROJEKT CÉLJA
(project purpose )
VÁRT EREDMÉNYEK
(Expected results
v. output)
TEVÉKENYSÉGEK
(Activities )
High level general objectives linking your project to the strategic
goals of the funding agency.
The goal that you want to achieve by the end of the project.
Results of the project: direct, measureable
Activities you will do in your project.
31/10
Logframe result indicators (2nd column)
Choose SMART indicators
 Specific
Konkrét
 Measurable
Mérhető
 Achievable
Elérhető, rendelkezésre áll
 Realistic
Reális
 Time-based
Időhöz kötött
32/10
Sources of verification (3rd column)
•
•
•
Enter activity cost estimation here (bottom row)
Plan the means of verification (reports, audits, etc.)
Verified results confirm that the corresponding assumption holds and that the
project contributes to overall objectives as planned
33/10
Assumptions in the logframe (4th column)
Important requisite?
How likely is that the
assumption will hold?
Leave out
yes
no
Sure
Leave out
Probable
Exercise caution
Improbable
Can we change the
project?
Add instruments that can
influence this assumption
and increase its probability
yes
no
Killer. Stop project planning!
34/10
Logframe matrix design order
35/10
How to read a logframe matrix?
Projekt leírás
Objektíven igazolható
eredményességi
mutató
Ellenőrzés forrásai
és eszközei
Feltételezések
ÁTFOGÓ CÉLOK
(overall objectives)
PROJEKT CÉLJA
(project purpose)
VÁRT EREDMÉNYEK
(Expected results
v. output)
TEVÉKENYSÉGEK
(Activities)
Pre-requisites
36/10
Logframe matrix example
37
How to design the actual tasks undertaken in the
project?
• Divide activities into work packages.
• A work package should contains:
• partial goals, indicators, activities, responsible and participating
partners, costs, timing
• do not forget to plan for internal project activites: meetings, project
related communication, report preparation etc.
• Workplan should be both easily understandable and detailed enough.
Visual planning aids (tables, time charts, Gantt and Pert diagrams etc)
should be used!
38/10
Work packages: the building blocks of the project
report
Results of previous WPs
Task 1
Task 2
Human resources
Material or product
to be passed to
later WPs
Task 3
Financial resources
Time
prototype
Work package ##
Product(deliverable)
Some WPs include milestones. Do NOT mix up milestones and deliverables!
Milestone: allows the assessment of overall project progress. At a milestone you
must decide if the project has made the targeted progress in the given time (e.g.
„device should be 60 % ready”) and make a decision that affects forthcoming
project implementation: shall we continue the project or stop? Should we work on
research direction ‘A’ or ‘B’?
Milestones are very important for proposals, because the funding agency will
decide on the continuation/stopping of our funds on the basis of our milestone
realization progress.
39/10
Example: details of a work package
Start date
Participants involved
Objectives of the WP
Detailed description of the
planned work down to the task
level.
Outputs of the WP:
deliverables and
milestones
40/10
Example: work package overview in a real project
41/10
Relationship between work packages:
Pert diagram „light”
42/10
Scheduling of work packages: Gantt diagram
Workpackages
Project time measured in calendar months
Gray lines mark the duration of workpackages.
Deliverables (D) and milestones (M) are also marked on the chart.
43/10
PERT method
PERT: Program Evaluation and Review Technique
Earliest start
time
Duration
Earliest
finish time
Activity code and identification
Latest start
time
Maximum
time
reserve
Allows calculation of:
- earliest possible start of project
- latest possible finish of project
- time reserve
- critical project path
Latest
finish time
44/10
Outline
•
•
•
•
•
Difference between project and proposal
Preparations for a new project
– Identify the topic: what do WE (=person, company, group etc) need?
– What are the best available solutions? („state of the art”)?
– Where shall we get money (funds) for the realization of the project? (own funds /
funding with the help of a proposal)
Project planning aids
Fundamentals of financial planning
What makes a winning proposal besides a good workplan:
– Why should they support us and not someone else? Demonstrate your abilities!
– What will be the benefits for the funding body if they support us? Matching
between our project and their strategic goals
– What guarantees that money spent on us is not wasted? Project management
planning, risk assessment, exploitation, dissemination..
– Importance of formalities: you MUST stick to the proposal call guidelines, no
deviations are allowed! Are we eligible for support at all? Do we have all the
signatures, authorization, permissions? Did we respect proposal length criteria?
Can we meet the submission deadline?
45/10
Fundamentals of financial planning
•
•
•
Assign adequate resources to each work package and each partner, otherwise the
project can not be implemented.
Resources:
– Human
– Stationery (e.g. instruments)
– Consumables (e.g. chemicals, gases, paper, AFM tip)
– Services and other costs: travel, conference registration, post, representation
Pay attention to:
– Overhead costs claimed by the host organization (e.g. university overhead
– Eligibility and calculation of taxes (e.g. VAT), bank costs and customs fees
– Rules for personnel costs: allowed contract types, daily allowances, social
security payments by the host and by the person etc.
– Compulsory service fees: audit costs, tendering costs, banking costs
– When purchasing stationery (e.g. new instrument), check if the full cost is eligible
in the project or not? It is possible that the project can only pay depreciation
during project lifetime, taking into account the % usage distribution as well
– What are the eligible costs? Should non-eligible ones be included in the total
budget? What is the financing intensity for eligible cost types (e.g. R&D 75 %,
demonstration 50 %, management 100 %)
46/10
Human resource planning
Person month (person day, person hour etc): the amount of work expected in the
specified timeframe from a person working full time on the implementation of the
project. If you don’t have a detailed project budget, person month planning is a good
starting point for estimating the other cost types proportionally and come up with a
reasonable project budget. a.
Hungary: 7000-10000 EUR/person month is generally acceptable for EU projects.
Personnel cost is the most crucial part of project budgets usually!
Consider the personnel costs of a very small 3 year research project:
Employee
Months
Monthly
payment (HUF)
Monthly employer
costs (social
security) (27 %)
Total (HUF)
1 postdoc
36
220000
59400
10 058 400
1 administrator, 25 %
work time
9
170000
45900
1 943 100
4 students, payment only
for the 2 summer months
annually
4x2x3=24
60000
16200
1 828 800
13 830 300
48293 EUR or 51827 AZN
47/10
Person month planning aids
Work load diagram based on PERT:
Person month overview table:
48/10
Outline
•
•
•
•
•
Difference between project and proposal
Preparations for a new project
– Identify the topic: what do WE (=person, company, group etc) need?
– What are the best available solutions? („state of the art”)?
– Where shall we get money (funds) for the realization of the project? (own funds /
funding with the help of a proposal)
Project planning aids
Fundamentals of financial planning
What makes a winning proposal besides a good workplan:
– Why should they support us and not someone else? Demonstrate your abilities!
– What will be the benefits for the funding body if they support us? Matching
between our project and their strategic goals
– What guarantees that money spent on us is not wasted? Project management
planning, risk assessment, exploitation, dissemination..
– Importance of formalities: you MUST stick to the proposal call guidelines, no
deviations are allowed! Are we eligible for support at all? Do we have all the
signatures, authorization, permissions? Did we respect proposal length criteria?
Can we meet the submission deadline?
49/10
Proposal impact: what shall WE gain by
implementing the project?
•
•
If you can not demonstrate that the project will be beneficial for you, noone will
take you seriously! Don’t be shy, identify your expected benefits clearly!
Use aids to support your argument:
– Demonstrate scientific novelty by literature research, preliminary
experiments (fundamental research)
– Demonstrate feasibility of concept by prototype, pilot study, preliminary
experiments (applied R&D)
– Demonstrate the lack of suitable instrumentation AND the existing
measurement needs in your region (when applying for new instrument)
– Present return of investment calculations (technological develoment)
– Present market research and analysis data (new product)
50/10
Proposal impact: why should they chose US and
not someone else for funding?
•
•
•
Quality of the host:
– Research infrastructure (labspace, instrumentation)
– Financial stability (balance sheets)
– Project experience (similar previous projects completed successfully)
In case of consortium proposal (more than one organization in proposal):
– Demonstrate complementary competences. Overlapping expertise (e.g. two
synthesis labs preparing the same chemical) should be avoided.
Complementarity should be emphasized
– Demonstrate the presence of the full innovation chain in the project.
Fundamental resarch institute, applied R&D lab, raw product manufacturer,
consumer product manufacturer, end user.
– Geographical location of partners should match the strategic goals of the
funding agency. Use many countries in EU proposals, use local partners in
regional ones.
Personal qualities of the participants
– CV, list of publications, previous project experience
– Demonstrate why a particular person is specifically suitable for the tasks
assigned to him in the project (e.g. project leader, exploitation manager etc.)
51/10
Proposal impact: what can THEY gain by supporting
us?
•
•
•
All funding bodies have their own strategic goals. They open proposal calls to
achieve these goals. E.g. research agency = increase knowledge, EU SME =
improve R&D in SMEs, government = create jobs, improve environment
You MUST get acquinted with these strategic goals and demonstrate in the
proposal that your project will enable the funder to achieve its goals. Useful
documents: mission statements, proposal call texts, EU work programs
„Monitoring indicators”: project results in a quantitative way that FITS to the
funder’s own goals.
– BAD monitoring indicator: „we functionalize 20 g carbon nanotubes”
– BAD monitoring indicator: „we shall run and document 328 experiments”
– GOOD monitoring indicator: „create 2 new jobs”, „publish 5 new papers”,
„increase sales from measurement services by 10000 EUR”, „increase the use
of recycled paper in office by 40 %” etc.
52/10
Proposal: guarantees for successful project
implementation
•
Project management: hierarchical, one leader, clearly defined responsibilties
•
In your proposal you should discuss:
• Decision making mechanisms
• Methods of continuous internal progress assessment
• Risk analysis and contingency planning
• Conflict resultion planning
• Exploitation plans and claims. Intellectual Property Right (IPR) issues
• Dissemination and outreach activities
53/10
Decision making schemes
Risk analysis and contingency planning
Intellectual Property Rights
•
•
•
•
IPR are very important
It usually takes a separate contract (e.g. consortium agreement) to regulate
them
HOWEVER, you must demonstrate that you are aware of IPR:
– Expected protectable results
– Background claims
– Foreground (new project results) ownership
– How will pay for patenting
Funding agency may have its own IPR policy that you must respect
Dissemination and outreach activities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Demonstrating results to the general public is VERY important for the EU.
Plan dissemination activities
– Publications, conference appearances, seminars
Plan outreach activities:
– Mass media appearances, journal newsflashes, homepage, YouTube
channel, project representation at science fairs, open university days etc.
Put REAL EFFORT into planning! Name the target journals and conferences.
Estimate the number of news releases in advance! Support your estimations by
data (e.g. your previous similar activities)
Demonstrate your own motivation for outreach activities. Estimate the size,
interests and scientific background of your target groups (e.g. general adult
citizens, industrial sector representatives, politicians, high school students, small
kids etc.) and design dedicated outreach activity for each target group!
Update homepage regularly.
Keep a running list of all dissemination and outreach activities. It will be MUCH
more difficult to compile it at the end of the project!
Respect the public. Most of the time, you are using public money!
57/10
Proposal: formal requirements
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
WAY MORE important than you would think! There are always more
applications than money, so it is easiest to discard proposals containing formal
errors
Read the call text, guidelines for applicants and all related documents carefully
and more than once to avoid working in vain
Are we eligible to submit a proposal?
Does our proposal include all compulsory elements? Workplan is just one of
many! Company registration, signature sheets, balance copy, permission etc
Does our proposal meet the formal requirements? Workplan length, company
stamped signatures, each page signed, file format OK, number of copies
expected etc
Do the electronic and the paper version match? Is the electronic version file
readable, virus free and non-corrupt?
Submission deadline? Posting date or received date? You can tweak the
workplan until the last moment, but official documents take long time (weeks
even) to obtain. Calculate with this time!
58/10
Thank you
Thank you for your attention, happy project planning!
59/10