Create a rough project plan

Module 2 – Session 5 – Activity 3

If participants do not have a professional project manager on board, they may feel overwhelmed by the amount of tasks and challenges that a Citizen Science project entails. In this activity, participants will learn to do some basic planning of their project in order to gain confidence that the project is manageable. The activity is suitable for researchers and citizens in a group or individually. Sessions #1 through #4 should be done in advance.

Participants learn how to break down their project into tasks and draw up an initial schedule of when things need to be done. Participants also learn how to involve the team in the planning.

Materials needed

• Printed diagram and checklist of project tasks from: https://www.buergerschaffenwissen.de/sites/default/files/grid/2017/11/21/handreichunga5_engl_web.pdf (page 15)
• Template for project plan (Module2_5-3-Project_Plan_Template)
• Results from Session #3, Activity 2 “Evaluate Citizen Science approach”
• Paper, pen, color pencils
• Digital device to edit project plan

Duration and setting

• Setting: Single or group work
• Execution: 60 minutes

Process description – what has to be done

Step 1 – Overview and completed steps (5 minutes)

Take a look at the diagram and the checklist of project tasks (https://www.buergerschaffenwissen.de/sites/default/files/grid/2017/11/21/handreichunga5_engl_web.pdf, page 26). If you have been following this module since the first session, you should have already completed many of the steps in the diagram. Use the list on the right side and check off the tasks that you have already completed.

Step 2 – Start your project plan (10 minutes)

Open the project plan template and enter a few words about the tasks you already completed in the previous steps. For a better overview, you can highlight the tasks that have not yet been completed.

Step 3 – Enter the fixed dates into the timeline (5 minutes)

Go to section 2 of the project plan and enter the dates that are already defined in your project. Use bold font for these fixed dates to emphasize them.

Step 4 – Enter open questions from Step 2 into the timeline (5 minutes)

Now distribute your open questions from Step 2 onto the timeline. What questions need to be answered before which date?

Step 5 – Enter all other tasks into the timeline (20 minutes)

Use your results from

• Session #3, Activity 2 “Evaluate the Citizen Science Approach“.
• Session #5, Activity 1 “Create a training plan“

and enter all the tasks you identified in these activities, or other tasks that come to mind, into the schedule. Put the tasks in a logical order.

As the project progresses, add deadlines to all tasks. Assign tasks to your team members to get all the necessary things done before a certain date.

Update this document and adapt it as you continue to work on the project. The further you get, the clearer your plan will become. You will also need to reshape and adjust this plan regularly, adding new tasks and dates as they arise.

Step 6 – Create a plan for team exchange (15 minutes)

Specify in section 3 of the project plan how you will regularly update the project plan and your team on progress. IT teams use weekly or bi-weekly meetings to:

• review the project plan
• coordinate deadlines
• discuss completed tasks
• assign new tasks

It helps teams to keep track of ongoing tasks if you use a visual overview at the location where your team meets (or a virtual overview if team members are distributed locally). A very simple approach is to use sticky notes on a wall, sorted into three columns:

• Tasks (as a pool for all tasks that need to be completed in the near future)
• In progress (tasks that someone is currently working on are entered here)
• Done (tasks that have been completed are entered here)

At your regular meetings, the team can discuss how far they have come with a particular task and take on new tasks. The meeting is also an opportunity to talk about things that are blocking tasks or cases where team members need help with a task. If you want to learn more about this project management approach, check out: https://www.scrumalliance.org/about-scrum

Learning Outcomes – which skills are addressed?

Participants learn how to break down their project into tasks and draw up an initial schedule of when things need to be done. Participants also learn how to involve the team in the planning.

How do you check the outcomes are reached?

Participants have filled in the first three chapters in the project plan template.

De-Briefing questions

• Do you feel that you are well prepared to start your project?
• Do you feel that you have a good overview of all open tasks and deadlines?
• What could help you with the planning of your project?

References – further information

• gov: Basic Steps for Your Project Planning. https://www.citizenscience.gov/toolkit/howto/# (last viewed 03/25/2024)
• Data Management Documentation in Citizen Science Projects: Bringing Formalisation and Transparency Together https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371322509_Data_Management_Documentation_in_Citizen_Science_Projects_Bringing_Formalisation_and_Transparency_Together (last viewed 03/25/2024)
• Scrum Alliance (2020): What is Scrum? https://www.scrumalliance.org/about-scrum (last viewed 03/28/2024)
• Tweddle, J.C. et al. (2012): Guide to citizen science: developing, implementing and evaluating citizen science to study biodiversity and the environment in the UK. https://www.ceh.ac.uk/sites/default/files/citizenscienceguide.pdf (last viewed 03/28/2024)
• Vastine, Julie (2023): Best Practices in Project Design. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G255VhG1UyI (1:30 – 18:35) (last viewed 03/28/2024)
• Vohland, K. et al. (2021): The Science of Citizen Science. Chapter “Participation and Co-creation in Citizen Science”. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-58278-4_11 (last viewed 03/25/2024)