Community Forum – Making Scientists Better Project Managers

Resource Type
Survey (Community Forum)
Author
Innovation Research Interchange
Topics
Tools and Techniques, Project Management, Talent Management
Associated Event
Publication

What tools do you use to make scientists better project managers?

We are interested in learning what tools other organizations use to make their scientists better project managers. We would prefer to focus on training rather than software. – Development Manager, Global manufacturing company

Community Responses

Dan Hoffman, Intellectual Assets Manager, Air Products & Chemicals, Inc.
We offer a training class twice a year for innovate project leaders. That class specifically downplays the importance of tools / software other than making various templates available.  Our focus is on helping our project managers understand that when in project lead role they are in the “people business”. the course also differentiates between innovate projects and capital projects.

Carlos Leipner, Director of Strategy, Research & Technology, Westinghouse Electric Company LLC​
We have actually moved in a different direction. Rather than equipping the scientists with skill sets that they may not excel or value, we have augmented our R&D infrastructure to include dedicated project managers to work alongside each principal investigator to develop project plans, identify key milestones and project decision points, create a resource plan as well as tracking metrics and reporting progress at review meetings.  This approach has helped relieve the perceived burden from the PI of working on tasks he/she do not really understand or value and instead it helps the PI focus on what he/she does best which is the technical development. Likewise, the project manager has a much better understanding of the necessary rigor as well as flexibility needed to ensure a successful technology development and delivery and he/she can tailor the project management focus and adjust more efficiently whether the project is dealing with a higher uncertainty technology or a low uncertainty product development. This team approach of programmatic support has helped both the technical community in  achieving better tracking of projects as well as upper management’s understanding of the overall technology and product portfolio.

Larry J. Howell, IRI Emeritus, Executive Director GM R&D, Retired in 2001
I believe there are two different aspects to be considered.  One is managing the technical aspects of a project; the other, often more problematic, is working with or managing other people involved in the project.  Not all new employees have had experience working on a team.

We used formal training programs for project management covering such topics as scheduling, stage gate, roadmapping, and so on.  For personnel management, usually for first line supervisors, we found group discussion to be especially useful.  We used external first line supervisor work shops, in which newly appointed group leaders from different companies addressed typical problems, including personnel problems, under the guidance of a discussion leader.

We also developed an in house program.  I wrote one page descriptions for a few typical problems, such as how to handle a situation in a group project when a  Prima Donna who also is a brilliant innovator refuses to share information.  Working with our own HR folks, we held two day meetings during which individual group leaders offered solutions that were then discussed by the entire team.  This was successful in that the participants shared war stories (without identifying individuals) and came to realize that they had similar problems.  In the end they (not me) developed some best practices.