1.
21 OCTOBER 2015
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for
research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement No 643330
Time and Project Management
Lowry McComb

2.
∂
Do we have a shortage of time?
“No we don’t. Time is the
medium in which we
exist. To complain about
a shortage of time is like
a fish in the sea
complaining about a
shortage of water.”
Forster 2006, 2

3.
∂
What are your
time
management
issues?

4.
∂
What do you need to focus on?
Tasks / workload What you do
Strategies / systems How you do it

5.
∂
How You Do It
• The Preemptive
• People Pleasers
• Perfectionist
• Procrastinator
Berglas 2004

6.
∂
Prioritising
High priorities
Non-essential but enjoyable
or rewarding
Habitual behaviour - no longer
essential, enjoyable or rewarding
timetable
?
timetable

7.
∂
Work Priorities
Do you:
• manage multiple projects or tasks
• say ‘yes’ when you should be saying ‘no’
• find research/work taking over the rest of your
life
• miss out on opportunities
Developed by Tim Franklin, Strategic Systems Programme
Manager, University of York

8.
∂
Activity / days per month Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb
Working Days in month 21.0 21.0 23.0 21.0 17.0 22.0 20.0
Planned holidays 0.0 10.0 0.0
Conference / Training days 0.0 2.0 0.0
Work days balance = Total in month -
holidays and other 21.0 9.0 23.0 21.0 17.0 22.0 20.0
Business as Usual
Line Management meetings 1.0 1.0 1.0
Departmental Administration 3.0 2.0 4.0
Total for business as usual 4.0 3.0 5.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Project days balance = Work days
balance - BAU 17.0 6.0 18.0 21.0 17.0 22.0 20.0
Project Work
Project A 2.0 3.0 5.0
Project B 5.0 1.0 1.0
Project C 5.0 2.0 2.0
Project D 0.0 0.0 2.0
Project E 0.0 0.0 0.0
Total for Project Work 12.0 6.0 10.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Capacity / ( Overload ) 5.0 0.0 8.0 21.0 17.0 22.0 20.0

9.
∂
Activity / days per month Aug Sep Oct
Working Days in month 21.0 21.0 23.0
Planned holidays 0.0 10.0 0.0
Conference / Training days 0.0 2.0 0.0
Work days balance = Total in month -
holidays and other 21.0 9.0 23.0
Business as Usual
Line Management meetings 1.0 1.0 1.0
Departmental Administration 3.0 2.0 4.0
Total for business as usual 4.0 3.0 5.0
Project days balance = Work days
balance - BAU 17.0 6.0 18.0
Project Work
Project A 2.0 3.0 5.0
Project B 5.0 1.0 1.0
Project C 5.0 2.0 2.0
Project D 0.0 0.0 2.0
Project E 0.0 0.0 0.0
Total for Project Work 12.0 6.0 10.0
Capacity / ( Overload ) 5.0 0.0 8.0
REVIEW

10.
∂
Daily Planning
What tools and techniques do
you use for daily time
management?
How useful are they?
What are their limitations?

11.
∂
Planning Grid
1 Urgent and Important 2 Important but not Urgent
3 Urgent but not Important 4 Neither Urgent nor Important
do these first plan these carefully
and do next
try to delegate, then
turn full attention
to 2

12.
∂
Daily Planning
• Break it down
• Be realistic
• Review

13.
∂
How you do it
Not To-Do Lists
I am not going to:
• answer the phone before …
• work through lunch
• work later than …..
• leave my email switched on

14.
∂
‘I start out
with the
right
intentions, I
write a ‘to
do’ list but
by the end
of the day
I’ve only
crossed off
a few
things.’
What you do

15.
∂
Reactive Tasks Proactive Tasks
Those that happen
immediately
and can’t be anticipated.
e.g. responding to a
telephone call or a personal
enquiry.
Those you can plan for in
advance.
e.g. a meeting with your
supervisor or a timetabled
class.
Avoid letting non-urgent reactive
tasks take priority over the work
you have timetabled

16.
∂
Dealing with Interruptions
How can you prevent
interruptions?
How can you minimise
their impact?

17.
∂
Scenario 1
See hand-out.
5 minute discussion in your groups.
Then report back.

18.
∂
Scenario 2
See hand-out.
5 minute discussion in your groups.
Then report back

19.
∂

•conflict
•profuse apologies
•personalize

•empathy
•clear and direct
•explain
•keep it short
•use repetition if it isn’t
getting through
•can you offer
alternative solutions?

20.
∂
Time Management - Making a Start
One thing you will stop doing
One thing you will start doing

21.
∂
Summary
• Set aside 10 minutes every morning to look at and modify your
plans
• Break overwhelming tasks down into manageable chunks
• Avoid making multiple trips to the same place every day
• Learn to say ‘no’ – your time is a precious commodity
• Face-to-face meetings take up a lot of time – can a telephone
call or e-mail suffice?
• Each day schedule particular times to check your e-mail and
make phone calls
• Reward yourself

22.
21 OCTOBER 2015
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for
research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement No 643330
Project Management

23.
∂
1st
Year
Chapter 2
Conference
Paper
Whole Project

24.
∂
What are the
main constraints
on your research
project?

25.
∂
The Project Triangle
Time Cost
ScopeProduct Scope Project Scope

26.
∂
The Project Triangle
Time
Cost
Scope

27.
∂
Responsibilities
Who is responsible for the success (or failure) of
• A PhD project?
• A project you are working on as a post-doc?

28.
∂
The Project Manager’s
Responsibilities
Fulfil your and other people’s needs and expectations
Achieve your goals

29.
∂
Issues to Consider
• Who are your stakeholders and how do
you manage their expectations?
• What are your objectives?
• How will you plan and manage the
process?
• How will you deal with risks?

30.
∂
Who are Your Stakeholders?
• Any individual or organisation who has an
interest in the performance or outcome of the
project
• Stakeholders usually provide resources –
they can contribute to both the success and
failure of the project

31.
∂
Stakeholder Analysis
• Identify your stakeholders
• What resources do they bring to the
project?
• What are their levels of power, influence
and interest?
i.e. how much influence do they have over
the process and the outcome?

32.
∂
Stakeholder Analysis
Advocates and Supporters
Neutral
Blockers and Critics

33.
∂
Keep
Satisfied
Manage
Closely
Monitor
(Minimum Effort)
Keep
Informed
Low Interest High
High
Power
Low
Power/Interest Grid

34.
∂
●Brian Smith
Keep
Satisfied
Manage
Closely
●Carol Jones
●Bill Jones
Monitor
(Minimum Effort)
Keep
Informed
Low Interest High
High
Power
Low
Power/Interest Grid
● Jack Walker
● Mary Walker
● Jill Walker

35.
∂
Stakeholder Analysis…what next?
 Tick the stakeholder analysis box and continue on a
pre-determined route
 Work with stakeholders:
• What motivates them?
• What do they really want and need from the project?
• How/when will you communicate with stakeholders?
• How will you ensure they stay on side or do not
cause problems?

36.
∂
“If you do not
know where you
are going, every
road will get you
nowhere.”
Henry Kissinger

37.
∂
Aims and Objectives
Aims: What you want to achieve by the
end of a project
Objectives: the things you will do to
achieve your aims

38.
∂
Why set objectives?...
Turn dreams into targets and
deadlines
Clarify and break down what has to
be done
Make progress
Be able to assess progress
Complete
Motivation

39.
∂
SMART Objectives
Specific
Measurable
Agreed
Realistic
Time-bound
are they well defined?
how will you know when
you’ve achieved them?
With stakeholders?
are they achievable, bearing in
mind your resources?
what deadlines are in place?

40.
∂
Specific
Specific means that the objective is
concrete, detailed, focused and
well defined. Specific means that
it’s results and action-orientated.
http://www.thepracticeofleadership.net/2006/03/11/setting-smart-
objectives/

41.
∂
Measurable

42.
∂
Agreed
Identify and work with stakeholders

• Disregard stakeholders
• Allow stakeholders to set your
objectives

• Negotiate and agree

43.
∂
Realistic
Objectives that are achievable, may not be realistic…..
however, realistic does not mean easy. Realistic
means that you have the resources to get it done.
http://www.thepracticeofleadership.net/2006/03/11/setting-smart-
objectives/
Realistic Challenging

44.
∂
Time Bound
Parkinson’s LawParkinson’s Law
Tasks expand to fill the time availableTasks expand to fill the time available
“I will complete my
doctorate……”

45.
∂
Objective Setting
• Set positive outcomes
• Set multiple-level objectives
–in six months, in one month, in one
week
• Are they SMART?
• Review and assess progress

46.
∂
Taking Stock
Where am I now?
What have I achieved?
Tangible (Database
created / Training done)
Intangible (Interpersonal
Advancement / Feelings)

47.
∂
What do I want to have
achieved between today
and deadline?
Taking Stock
Tangible (Studies done /
papers written)
Intangible (Personal
Development / Contacts)
Your
Goals

48.
∂
W o r k B r e a k d o w n S t r u c t u r e o f T y p ic a l P r o je c t
W o r k P a c k a g e
T a s k T a s k
A c t iv it y A c t iv it y A c t iv it y
T a s k
W o r k P a c k a g e W o r k P a c k a g e
P r o je c t
NB The activities
should be small
enough chunks that
you can easily assess
your progress

49.
∂
Work Breakdown
Structure
Activity
Write conference paper
Read 3 articles
Using verbs
Product Breakdown
Structure
Product
Conference paper
Articles read
Using nouns
Focusing on the products rather than process
can increase the likelihood of completion.

50.
∂
E x a m p le o f W o r k B r e a k d o w n S t r u c t u r e o f a T y p ic a l ( ? ) P h D R e s e a r c h P r o je c t
L it . R e v ie w
O b t a in A p p e r a t u s
R e a d D e s ig n P ilo t
R e v ie w
D e s ig n E x p e r im e n t s P la n S t a t s
C o n t r o l O b s e r v e R e c o r d
R e v ie w
C a r r y o u t e x p e r im e n t s
E x p e r im e n t s A n a ly s is W r it in g
O b t a in A p p r o v a l
C o n s u lt / A p p ly fo r a p p r o v a l o r fu n d in g
P la n
E x p e r im e n t a l C h a p t e r
( P r o b a b ly 4 o r 5 o f t h e s e )
D is c u s s io n a n d C o n c lu s io n s
T h e s is
PhD Work Breakdown Structure

51.
∂
Editing Proceedings Exercise
Produce either a work (activities)
breakdown structure or a
product breakdown structure for
the project.

52.
∂
E x a m p le o f W o r k B r e a k d o w n S t r u c t u r e o f a T y p ic a l ( ? ) P h D R e s e a r c h P r o je c t
L it . R e v ie w
O b t a in A p p e r a t u s
R e a d D e s ig n P ilo t
R e v ie w
D e s ig n E x p e r im e n t s P la n S t a t s
C o n t r o l O b s e r v e R e c o r d
R e v ie w
C a r r y o u t e x p e r im e n t s
E x p e r im e n t s A n a ly s is W r it in g
O b t a in A p p r o v a l
C o n s u lt / A p p ly fo r a p p r o v a l o r fu n d in g
P la n
E x p e r im e n t a l C h a p t e r
( P r o b a b ly 4 o r 5 o f t h e s e )
D is c u s s io n a n d C o n c lu s io n s
T h e s is
What’s
missing?
PhD Work Breakdown Structure

53.
∂
Gantt Charts
•A simple graphical presentation of tasks and
times
•A bar chart with start and finish dates on a
timeline
•Easy to produce
•Easy to explain

54.
∂
Initial Literature Trawl
Design Questionnaire
Review Questionnaire
Start
Distribute
Data Inputting
Final Analyses
Hand In Date
Write Up
Basic Gantt Chart
TIME
ACTIVITY

55.
∂

56.
∂
Initial Literature Trawl
Design Questionnaire
Review Questionnaire
Start
Distribute
Data Inputting
Final Analyses
Hand In Date
Write Up
Basic Gantt Chart
TIME
ACTIVITY

57.
∂
Editing Proceedings Exercise
Produce a Gantt chart for the
project using the provided
timimgs.

58.
∂
Risk god or bad?

59.
∂
Projects and Risk
•Identify sources of risk
•Assess the likelihood of risk
•Assess the magnitude of risk
•Develop response

60.
∂
The Project Triangle
Risk Identification
Time Cost
ScopeProduct Scope Project Scope

61.
∂
Responses to Risks
• Prevention
• Reduction
• Acceptance
• Plan B
• Transference

62.
∂
Prioritise the Risks
Probability – how likely is it to happen?
Impact – how serious is it?
1 2 3
2 4 62 4 6
3 6 9
Probability
Impact
Risk (Probability x Impact)
1- 2 : Low
3 - 4 : Medium
6 - 8 : High
9 : Extreme

63.
∂
Estimating times
The most common cause of error in project
management is incorrect estimations of the length of
time the individual elements will take.
How long will each activity or task take?
• Take an educated guess – this will improve with time.
• Seek advice from others with more experience.
• Allow for contingencies by adding slack.
• Consider the risks and their probabilities

64.
∂
Estimating times
Estimating the Times of Individual Components of a
Project
TE = Estimated Time
TO = Optimistic Time
TP = Pessimistic Time
TM = Most likely time
TE = TO + 4 (TM) + TP
6

65.
∂
“Almost by definition, a student who does not complete
within the three years (or part-time equivalent) or takes
longer or does not complete at all is deficient [in their
training]”
Research Council Statement
1 year 2 years

66.
∂
1 year 2 years
Project “Slippage”

67.
∂
If you do it, review it…
If it works:
• why did it work
• does it need fine tuning
• are there similar tools or
strategies that you could
use?
If it does not work:
•why didn’t it work
•should you revise or
scrap it?

68.
∂
Any Questions???