Project management as information management in interdisciplinary research: "Lots of different pieces working together". (August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Garwood, Deborah A.; Poole, Alex H.
• Is Part Of: International journal of information management. Volume 41(2018)
• Page Start: 14
• Page End: 22
• Publication Date: 2018-08
• Subjects: Project management -- Information management -- Publicly funded research; Social sciences -- Information services -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; Information science -- Periodicals; Management information systems -- Periodicals; Knowledge management -- Periodicals; Sciences sociales -- Documentation, Services de -- Périodiques; Sciences sociales -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Sciences de l'information -- Périodiques; Systèmes d'information de gestion -- Périodiques; Information science; Management information systems; Social sciences -- Information services; Social sciences -- Research; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 025.52068
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2018.03.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0268-4012

Abstract

Highlights: Project Management emerged as an information management mechanism for publicly funded research projects in the case study. Project Management techniques have dual utility for coordinating work plans and documenting data management. Project managers in the case study were often internally designated team members, though some were external hires. Project Management may ensure data integrity from project inception through deliverables. Researchers perceived PM documentation as a means to usher a project from grant cycle to sustainability and open access. Abstract: Project Management (PM) 1 in publicly funded interdisciplinary research (IDR) 2 is an emerging practice for academic scholars, one that derives from PM's origins in the industrial sector. The naturalistic paradigm that guided this case study of the third Digging Into Data Challenge (2014–2016) relied upon qualitative methods, a case study reporting mode, purposive sampling, and inductive, grounded data analysis. Fifty-three researchers representing eleven projects were interviewed. Results suggest that the grant's PM requirement provided researchers with a mechanism of information management. Project managers, whether externally hired or internally designated, were instrumental in coordinating project resources in light of governance issues, data handling, and data sharing across international boundaries. In conclusion, optimizing PM documentation from project inception through closure is recommended to facilitate communications among funders, researchers, and stakeholders. PM documentation is a mechanism for ensuring data integrity and its readiness for valuation metrics at project's end. Future research may explore the merits of mandating formally trained project managers versus supporting academic mentoring trends for project-based training, which apply domain-specific expertise to the role and enable IDR teams to exercise autonomy.