Project Management for Research and Development

Research and development (R&D) activities do not fit the traditional project model. They may seem difficult to manage because of their inherent ambiguity, the need for creative exploration, and often the lack of having defined milestones and outcomes. However, project management methods, along with systems engineering as a complementary discipline, provide the ability to categorize R&D activities, bound them, and then assess progress along a defined course of action. They also provide information about status and progress, visibility into opportunities and challenges that might otherwise be missed, allowing timely course corrections.

Project Management for Research and Development: Guiding Innovation for Positive R&D Outcomes, Second Edition, provides methods for optimizing results in R&D by using structured processes that come from project management and are intertwined with the key complementary discipline of systems engineering. It provides processes, tools, and techniques to assess and manage creative activities in an optimal way. The core of the book is a flexible framework, which lifts the burden off organizations that do not want to invest heavily in implementing a significant number of often conflicting processes. It is a lightweight, flexible structure to help organizations and individuals meet their most important goals, no matter how complicated or complex these goals may be.

Each chapter in the book includes Apply Now exercises, which allow immediate application of fundamental concepts, summarizes key points of concepts and terms, and provides templates to apply the ideas from each chapter to a real-life situation. The book also features unique and creative case studies to demonstrate the application of project management to various R&D projects.

Lory Mitchell Wingate has achieved notable success in the application of project management and systems engineering throughout such various sectors as policy research, aerospace engineering, production and support, and scientific research organizations. With a professional tenure of more than 30 years, she brings extensive experience from both for-profit and non-profit enterprises, showcasing a deep understanding and proficiency in these specialized domains.

Her strategic approach involves the integration of best practices from project management and systems engineering, resulting in a highly effective formula for successful R&D management. She helps both organizations and individual entrepreneurs in realizing their goals within technology R&D as well as innovation endeavors. This is accomplished within the comprehensive framework outlined in Project Management for Research and Development and meticulously aligned with the best practices of the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Aeronautics and Space administration (NASA), the United States Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Energy (DoE).

In addition to her practical accomplishments, she holds an MBA in Information Technology Management, and both Project Management Professional (PMP®) and Expert Systems Engineer Practitioner (INCOSE®) certifications, highlighting her commitment to maintaining the highest professional standards.

She has also contributed valuable insights to the field as a published author. Her many works include Project Management for Research and Development: Guiding Innovation for Positive R&D Outcomes and Systems Engineering for Projects: Achieving Positive Outcomes in a Complex World, which stand as authoritative resources for professionals navigating the complexities of project management and systems engineering.