Understanding Project Management Tool Effectiveness in Diverse dRTP Contexts

Large-scale project management frameworks (for example, Agile) are typically presented as complete, end-to-end systems. However, adopting an entire framework is often not feasible given the diversity of work contexts faced by Digital Research Technical Professionals (dRTPs). While individual conceptual tools from these frameworks can be selected to address specific project management challenges, developing the experience needed to choose and apply these tools effectively is currently time-intensive.

The aim of this project is to reduce this time barrier by using empirical methods to collate real-world experiences of project management tool use among dRTPs based at the University of Sheffield. This empirical work will explore the specific contexts in which different project management tools deliver the greatest benefit.

The methods and findings will be disseminated to the wider dRTP community and, in the longer term, will form the basis of contextual guidance included in a dedicated “project management toolkit” for dRTPs.

This toolkit will provide practical guidance on selecting appropriate project management tools for specific research projects and will act as a flexible entry point to project management training. In doing so, it will support dRTPs in developing essential skills for career progression and leadership within technical research roles.