Managing the Research Proposal Dr Nick Blismas School of Property Construction & Project Management Ext 55056 nick.blismas@rmit.ed.au School of Property Construction & Project Management

Outline Mapping the requirements Assembling the academic team Engaging & managing the Collaborating Organisations Planning the Budget School of Property Construction & Project Management

Mapping the Requirements Different approaches to ‘creating’ the submission Actively search for funding, CO’s & ideas Short/med/long-term goals View as a project Break-up the project Establish Activities and Milestones Establish Stakeholders Map-out to help visualise School of Property Construction & Project Management

Establish Activities & Milestones Proposal CV's Project proposal Budget Letters & signatures Submission procedure & dates Portfolio/Dean (ARC) EOI (ARC) Internal (All) External Signatures HoS (All) CO's Supporting Orgs R&I – PVC (All) CRC Director or Other School of Property Construction & Project Management

Establish Stakeholders Funding Body* Funding rules & requirements Ask R&I R&I Office Support, but have requirements Portfolio (Dean) May need to read EOI Notification of intent Head of School Support proposal and your time Resources Research Committee School committee may have an influence Ethics Committee Not usually at proposal stage, but if risky - suggest you discuss issues of concern Academic Partners Other partners - input to proposal and the research CO's* Critical aspect for most proposals More later CRC's or Other bodies* Letter from CRC director Other Stakeholders with an interest* Unions Supporting organisations Determine risk, access and response levels School of Property Construction & Project Management

Visualise the project School of Property Construction & Project Management

Assembling the Academic Team Who Variety of skills Complimentary Explicit People you like to work with! Main driver External influences Non-contributors Track-record ‘padding’ Number One Onerous More than 4 Cumbersome What is the level of input? Depends on project type School of Property Construction & Project Management

Academic Team Roles Ideas people Management Although all should contribute something Management Team Coordinate meetings Coordinate read & comment Submission process Coordinate workloads & deliverables Who, when, what, how etc. Document management – one person (usually 1st CI) Stakeholder Assigned to team members Contacts and skills School of Property Construction & Project Management

Managing the CO’s Who Interested CO's Engage early Industry workshops/ conferences Need to keep going post-award Establish long-term partnerships… Goal = repeat work Roles/contribution Type of contribution Cash In-kind Time in interviewing/workshops On-site experimentation More interventionist designs - more reluctant School of Property Construction & Project Management

Managing the CO’s Small number (1-3) Easier to manage/ coordinate Fewer to please Higher level of engagement But depends on individual CO’s and the contact person! ARC ideally 2-3… Large number (>4) Difficult to manage Reality is only few will really engage Lever the ones who are engaged for other contacts Get them to get others involved Use their enthusiasm & leverage School of Property Construction & Project Management

Managing the CO’s Contact/Gatekeeper Establish Power ASAP ($ power) Usually person you first engage Can block access to others in the organisation Internal politics Establish Power ASAP ($ power) Get to ASAP Sell concept Get buy-in/commitment Try establish direct line of communication Getting the signatures! Make process simple/explicit ASAP Delay signatures until figures fixed Establish whereabouts for the 2 weeks before submission School of Property Construction & Project Management

Planning the Budget Excel spreadsheet to manipulate figures Precise with figures/estimates Provide as much detail as possible School of Property Construction & Project Management

Managing the Research Proposal Dr Nick Blismas School of Property Construction & Project Management Ext 55056 nick.blismas@rmit.ed.au School of Property Construction & Project Management