Project and Time Management for Scientists – IMPRS-APS Kick-Off

In the Project and Time Management for Scientists workshop, you train fundamental skills to be efficient and effective as a young researcher. This workshop is designed especially for new PhD students and will bring all new IMPRS-APS participants together for a perfect start to your doctoral journey.

The workshop will be led by Dr. Alex Britz, a physicist in laser and plasma physics and a former IMPRS UFAST member. Alex will guide you through essential techniques and strategies for efficient and effective work as a young researcher, including self- and time-management tools, project management skills, and approaches to risk management in your PhD.

In the first part of this workshop, we focus on self-management and time management techniques to be effective and work efficiently as a young scientist. The methods learned and practiced include the Eisenhower matrix, the Pareto principle, S.M.A.R.T. goal setting, and performance curves with the goal to learn effective prioritization and improve your decision-making skills.

The second part is about the project management of a PhD thesis and/or another scientific project, e.g., leading to a manuscript. You will discuss the complexity of a PhD project with the numerous stakeholders involved. Further, you will learn how to apply traditional project management techniques, such as Gantt charts, to your PhD, and we elaborate on where to use agile techniques in a PhD. The workshop closes with a discussion of risk management.

The specific topics and learning objectives of the workshop are:

• Learn effective prioritization using the Eisenhower matrix and ABC method.

• Acquire fundamental self-management, time-management and decision-making skills, with techniques including Pareto principle and Parkinson effect.

• Learn setting S.M.A.R.T. goals and effective milestones.

• Gain insights into managing complex scientific projects such as a PhD thesis or postdoc project.

• Learn to utilize traditional project management planning tools like Gantt charts.

• Understand when to apply agile techniques in science and academia.

• Learn how to manage risks, possible pitfalls, and stakeholder engagement.