““Managing” Managing” ResearchersResearchers

Presentation by Catherine Presentation by Catherine Krahulec Krahulec

to:to:

PMI Knowledge Exchange PMI Knowledge Exchange ForumForum

Oct. 26, 2004Oct. 26, 2004Graphics courtesy of Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, Scientific Visualization Group

GoalsGoals

To educate those who have not worked To educate those who have not worked with this type of with this type of employee/consultant/subcontractor employee/consultant/subcontractor beforebefore

To gain further insight from those who To gain further insight from those who have been there before – looking for have been there before – looking for ideas on getting researchers to work ideas on getting researchers to work successfully in the contracting worldsuccessfully in the contracting world

Who is the Researcher?Who is the Researcher?

A researcher is defined as anyone A researcher is defined as anyone performing scientific research and performing scientific research and analysis, basic or appliedanalysis, basic or applied

Tests theories and reports resultsTests theories and reports results Includes system/software prototyping and Includes system/software prototyping and

development of new toolsdevelopment of new tools May be a “research methodologist,” May be a “research methodologist,”

advising on research protocols or statisticsadvising on research protocols or statistics Usually PhD level but not alwaysUsually PhD level but not always

Researchers are…Researchers are…

Self motivatedSelf motivated Already experiencedAlready experienced Highly educatedHighly educated Used to working virtually (and do a lot of Used to working virtually (and do a lot of

travel)travel) Often well connected (and maintain those Often well connected (and maintain those

connections)connections) Often have university resources to back Often have university resources to back

them upthem up Quirky! (usually in a fun or amusing way)Quirky! (usually in a fun or amusing way)

Researchers are NOT…Researchers are NOT…

Managers, “employees”Managers, “employees” Familiar with contracts, budgets, Familiar with contracts, budgets,

administrative proceduresadministrative procedures Business developersBusiness developers Typically motivated by money, Typically motivated by money,

career ladder rewardscareer ladder rewards

Bottom LineBottom Line

They want to be usefulThey want to be useful They do not need to be They do not need to be

“managed”“managed” They are conscientious They are conscientious

about budgets but not about budgets but not experts in themexperts in them

They will stick around as They will stick around as long as the work remains long as the work remains interestinginteresting

In the right organization, In the right organization, they can be phenomenally they can be phenomenally successfulsuccessful

How PMs Help How PMs Help ResearchersResearchers

Guide them in becoming “contractors”Guide them in becoming “contractors” Teach them to be deliverable-orientedTeach them to be deliverable-oriented Assist them to communicate to non-Assist them to communicate to non-

researchersresearchers Help them to “work the system” to Help them to “work the system” to

obtain new projects/grants… although if obtain new projects/grants… although if you are a seller they are easy to sell to you are a seller they are easy to sell to the right organizationthe right organization

ProblemsProblems

1 – How do you get them to care about, 1 – How do you get them to care about, understand, and consider business issues understand, and consider business issues alongside the technical ones?alongside the technical ones?

2 – How do you manage the really quirky 2 – How do you manage the really quirky ones?? (similar to some programmers??)ones?? (similar to some programmers??)

3 – How do you fit research (which is really 3 – How do you fit research (which is really never complete) into a project schedule, never complete) into a project schedule, that requires information for business that requires information for business decisions (i.e., the research is no good if decisions (i.e., the research is no good if it is not timely)it is not timely)

Some Useful TechniquesSome Useful Techniques Have a Technical PM (Lead Researcher) Have a Technical PM (Lead Researcher) andand a Business PM a Business PM Get a counterpart in the research organizationGet a counterpart in the research organization Allows the Technical PM to focus on researchAllows the Technical PM to focus on research However, the Technical PM However, the Technical PM cannotcannot be totally be totally

divorced from the business, he/she needs to divorced from the business, he/she needs to contribute to budgets and deliverablescontribute to budgets and deliverables

Provide administrative support staff for Provide administrative support staff for researchersresearchers Not to pick up dry cleaning!Not to pick up dry cleaning! Hand-holds on administrative tasksHand-holds on administrative tasks

Some Useful Techniques Some Useful Techniques (cont.)(cont.)

Let research continue, but Let research continue, but set checkpoints for set checkpoints for reportsreports Draft deliverables, or Draft deliverables, or

stages/phasesstages/phases Must notMust not let deliverable due let deliverable due

dates slip!dates slip! Help with communicationsHelp with communications

Technical WritersTechnical Writers Graphic artistsGraphic artists Research advocate(s)Research advocate(s)

Some Useful Techniques Some Useful Techniques (cont.)(cont.)

It’s OK to cancel research tasks and It’s OK to cancel research tasks and move resourcesmove resources It doesn’t mean failure, you’ve still It doesn’t mean failure, you’ve still

learned somethinglearned something THE KEY: Treat them like THE KEY: Treat them like

PARTNERSPARTNERS

Ideas??Ideas??

Thoughts? Thoughts? Feedback? New Feedback? New ideas?ideas?