Important steps in project management

1. Identify specific research questions: try to boil down your question to 25 words or less.
2. List end products needed to address the research questions: this can be a hypothesis-like statement, a model equation, a map, or so on.
3. Develop a backup strategy and stick to it. Ask yourself exactly how much time you can afford to lose due to a data problem or hard drive crash.
4. Produce a project timeline (see below). The timeline does not have to be overly detailed, but start from the end and work your way back to the beginning. If the project is due in early May, for example, start counting back the weeks necessary for write up, analysis, modeling, data gathering, and initial inquiries.
5. Consider database and model design before you start analysis. Try to get a really good sense of exactly what sorts of data you need – specify this down to the individual spatial data layers and individual fields in your database.
6. Seriously consider keeping a log book (electronic or analog) that keeps track of data lineage and metadata, methodological problems you face and work arounds discovered, and indications of your progress. It is very painful to spend 10 hours early on in your project figuring out a neat data workaround, then forgetting it, then needing it later.
7. Try to work on the project in large time chunks, which generally translates into better retention of what you did and gives you more productive use of time. Conversely, be sure to give yourself breaks, especially if you are running into a wall with your analysis.
8. Think of your project as a spiral, starting with a small, prototype project and then working your way towards more complex projects. Make sure you have a contingency plan for key areas of your project plan (e.g., what to do if you cannot acquire a key database).
9. Start working on your final project report early by using it as an outline at first and then filling it in as you make progress. This will help you focus on tangible products.
   

Classic pitfalls

1. Leaving your processing and analysis to the last minute will result in less time for writing your project report. Your project may be perfect, astounding, and fantastic, but if you cannot demonstrate all of that in the report then ultimately it does not matter.
2. Remember that developing a project requires you to tack back and forth between your ultimate goals and data availability. Most projects of less than a year in length cannot afford to spend very much time in data acquisition, so in this case, make sure you focus on readily available data sources OR identify an efficient means of data gathering.
3. Finally, keep focused on your research questions. Along the way you will be tempted to chase down new leads or ideas. Get your original project done first! If you somehow have a month left before the project is due (ha!), then feel free to look in new areas.

Project timeline

Your project proposal should have a time line with the following elements that describe the time necessary for:

1. Defining project goals and specific research questions
2. Database management and organization
3. Data gathering and compilation: where are you getting data?
4. Data processing. Specify structure (raster/vector), format (shapefile, Idrisi img), geospatial reference system, and plans to get all data into a common georeferencing system and, preferably, into a single GIS.
5. Data analysis: ideally, use a flowcharting system or a step-by-step list of instructions
6. Data Interpretation and analysis
7. Discussion of results
8. Creation of figures, tables, maps, and other essential but non written components
9. Time for writing and revision