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Strategy Development > Research & Analysis > Management Issues

At this stage in the project, project management is often neglected. Team members are concentrating on the detailed data gathering and analysis and it can be easy to let project management slip. The project plan and stakeholder engagement plan should be continually referred to and updated. During this phase the communications plan should also be evaluated to identify any weaknesses.

Project Management

The vision and key hypothesis driving the work should be reviewed in the light of the emerging evidence from the data gathering and analysis. Where the desired granularity of data is not available within the time scales of the project, a pragmatic approach will be needed to make judgements based on the data that is available. Milestones should also be reviewed to check the project's progress and ensure it is still on track.

People Management

It is important that workstreams are reviewed and confirmed. Team roles and responsibilities can then be reviewed and agreed. Regular feedback should be sought from the team on how they feel the team is working.

A meeting of the project Steering Group to advise on emerging analysis may be helpful towards the end of the phase. This could involve a presentation of the interim analytical report. Preparing presentations using techniques such as storyboarding will help to check the logic before presenting it and ensure that all the supporting information is available before writing the slides.

Stakeholder Management

Stakeholders should continue to be actively engaged and consulted through activities such as the publication of consultation papers (online and/or in paper format), holding seminars and using focus groups.

It is important to be very clear with stakeholders and sponsors about the project process and their role in order to maximise the value of their contribution and secure their continued buy-in.

Communications Management

A public consultation exercise is a helpful way of structuring consultation with stakeholders. The Internet is a useful tool, and should be used in conjunction with a small number of meetings or seminars. Planning for any public consultation should commence early in the project, as it will take time to develop an effective process, prepare consultation documents and plan communications.

Knowledge Management

The information gathered in this phase should be organised in a logical way. At this stage of the project, the role of a knowledge management 'champion' is crucial. For example, notes should be made of each meeting and interview and kept centrally to allow all team members to access them. Electronic data, including a database of all contacts, should also be organised on a project shared drive in a logical way. Hard copies of documents, books, and publications should be catalogued and a system for accessing documents from the project "library" should be established.

Useful links:

> managing people and the project

> managing stakeholders & communications