parallel tasks: The first and foremost task is to conduct academic studies and write a dissertation,
but the other task is to plan and efficiently manage a research project (Katz, 2009).
Phillips and Pugh (2010) discuss elements of project management used for managing doctoral
research. They explain how to define short-term and long-term goals of the research, how to
manage time and tasks, and how to meet deadlines. The authors view the total doctoral project
process as a series of tasks which lead to the progressive reduction of uncertainty. In doctoral research,
as in any research project, uncertainty is high at the beginning. In planned task management,
the candidate reduces the uncertainty as the project advances. McWilliam, Singh, and Taylor
(2002) discuss the topic of risk management in doctoral education. Risk management is another
leading element of project management. The authors discuss risk minimization in the context
of the adviser-student relationship. Graves and Varna (1998) advise the students that “time is
needed to identify, design and carry out the (doctoral) project” (p. 60) and go on to explain how
to plan time, how to plan research phases, and how to practically create a project plan. Graves and
Varna use project management terminology, stressing the significance of meeting deadlines and
the importance of creating milestones along the road to a PhD. Grover (2007) stated that students
are usually capable of completing a doctoral program and are usually highly motivated. A key
element for success is their ability to manage their program and avoid mistakes. Grover offers the
candidates a checklist to be used as an evaluation tool for those who wish to assess the progress
of their doctoral study.
Project management techniques can be easily adjusted to the doctoral research domain (Katz,
2009). This may assist the candidate in planning his or her research systematically and in learning
efficient methods for managing time and effort. It is important to note that most research projects
conducted in the hi-tech scientific industry regularly apply project management tools (Cardinal,
2001).