Project Management for Researchers
Project Management for Researchers: A Practical, Stress-Free Guide to Getting Organized (University of Michigan Press, 2024) offers scholars concrete strategies for planning, organizing, and completing research projects. Drawing on my own experience as a researcher and teacher, I outline principles of reliability, legibility, and efficiency that can help make research more sustainable and less overwhelming.
This book is designed for researchers at all career stages—from undergraduates completing their first research project to faculty leading large, collaborative teams.
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Resources
To support readers, I have created a set of free, downloadable worksheets that accompany the book. These tools help scholars design project management systems that fit their goals, methods, and ethics.
You can visit the book's companion website, where you can download all of the worksheets from the book in pdf but also Google docs and Microsoft Word format so you can fill them out as you work through the book. They are also available for download below (clicking will begin the download):
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worksheets - Google docs (click "USE TEMPLATE" on the top right to create your own editable copy)
Why Project Management Matters
Effective project management improves the quality of research, supports collaboration, and reduces stress. Scholars often focus on theory, data, and analysis while overlooking the everyday practices that make research possible. This book reframes project management as a scholarly skill—one that is integral to producing rigorous, ethical, and impactful research.
Related Workshops
I also offer talks and workshops based on the book, tailored for faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates. These sessions cover:
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The value of project management for researchers
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Designing your own project management system
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Aligning systems with personal and ethical commitments
More details are available on my Speaking & Workshops page.
Related Media & Writing
Some things I've written/talked about related to research project management and the book:
✍️Short piece for academics: "The Best Time to Organize Your Research? Now" Inside Higher Ed
🎧Podcast: an episode of the Academic Life podcast with Dr. Christina Gessler available on Spotify or Apple podcasts and elsewhere
🎧Podcast: an episode of the Self-Compassionate Professor podcast with Dr. Danielle De La Mare available on Spotify or Apple podcasts and elsewhere
✍️Author Q&A: an author Q&A about my experiences and advice about research project management the University of Michigan Press blog
✍️Short piece for book writers: my short piece on the importance of research project management for book writers for Dr. Laura Portwood-Stacer's newsletter
If you are using the book in a course, I would love to know about it, and I would be happy to Zoom in to discuss and answer any questions! I also offer workshops on several topics related to research project management, more information can be found is available on my Speaking & Workshops page.