Improving Projects
Project Management is at the heart of what we do, so it is no surprise that Fistral has extensive expertise supporting traditional project management phases such as:
- Project Initiation
- Planning for New or Existing Projects
as well as specialising in:
- Project Audits
- Monitoring & Project Control
- Project Recovery – including troubleshooting
- Independent Risk Review
- Project Review & Evaluation
- Lessons Learned Capture
Designing Training
Using almost 30 years’ industry experience and circa 20 years in the academic sector, Fistral has a wealth of expertise in:
- Designing Courses & Programmes
- Designing Training & Lecturing
- Course Evaluation
- Aligning Courses to Professional Certification (PMI, ILM, CMI, Chartered status etc)
to provide cohesive and effective approaches to designing, developing and implementing:
- Integrated Training Courses & Staff Development Programmes
Motivating People
In addition to our coaching and mentoring support, customers working with new or existing teams often opt for bespoke consultancy or group workshops on softer skills such as:
- Improved Team Work
- Motivation
- Communication
- Improving Customer Service
- Change Management
which can be underpinned by:
- Certified DiSC® Professional User Expertise and/or
- Individual, Team, or Leadership Behavioural Profiling as appropriate
Supporting Missions
We are often asked to apply our 10+yrs experience in the Space Sector to partner on live project outputs for missions such as ATHENA and JUICE. E.g. in:
- Early Stage Planning
- Facilitated Phase 0-Phase B Risk Assessment Workshops
- Mission-Specific Bespoke Training Development
as well as specialising in:
- Agile Product Development during development & operations phases
- Project Schedule & Control
- Effective Team Working & Leadership in challenging situations or with difficult behaviours

Consultancy Examples
The consultancy examples below show how we use extensive industry and academic experience to help and support: kick-starting new projects; improving existing projects; monitoring, reviewing and/or auditing projects; engaging and motivating staff; supporting change in organisations; conducting training needs analysis; evaluating programmes and courses; and designing, developing and delivering new training and programmes using a cohesive and effective approach to implementation of integrated into staff and researcher development programmes.
- Providing guidance on best-practice application of project/programme management techniques for a large European-funded network of 450+ members working together across 25+ countries
- Team development workshops for departments undergoing change and restructure in HEIs
- Leadership workshops linked to gender equality for women in technology.
- Personal effectiveness workshops for BME researchers
- Workshops and mentoring sessions for staff managing strategic projects in Universities
- Masterclasses, mentoring and bespoke workshops for Universities and UK Catapult organisations
- Advising on a standardised approach to planning and implementing projects to align with Strategic Planning deliverables
- Independent evaluation of a European-funded project supporting partners in 21 European countries
- Developing a Project and Programme Capability Development Model for the Portfolio Management Office of one the biggest public sector organisations in Scotland
- Developing and delivering a Leadership and Management Programme for ECRs and MCAs working at one of the top 200 young Universities in the world.
- Bespoke seminars – in Risk Management, Offshore-Wind and Renewables Energy
- Dovetailing internal and external training approaches to ensure a consistent, integrated, approach to training and staff development programmes
- Project audits for blue-chip companies in Europe
- Advice on customisation of templates for Project Management and Risk Management based on best-practice
- Development of a plan for creating a Competency Development Framework and Portfolio Maturity Model
- Organising and sponsoring the National CanSat Competition 2012
- Bespoke Risk workshops for European teams working on satellite missions
- Development of Project Management role descriptions, skills and competencies
For Customer Comments see Testimonials

“Useful especially for PhD” – University of Strathclyde
PhD students at the University of Strathclyde joined us onsite in Glasgow for Fistral’s Advanced Project Management training course. The group gave it...

4.83 rating for Risk Management training – University of Strathclyde
PhD students at the University of Strathclyde joined us onsite in Glasgow for Fistral’s Risk Management in the Real World...

“Practical, relevant and engaging” – University College Cork staff feedback
The second of two cohorts of staff at University College Cork joined us onsite for Fistral’s Introduction to Project Management training session. The group...

“Wish I’d done it sooner” – University College Cork staff
The first of two cohorts of staff at University College Cork joined us onsite for Fistral’s Introduction to Project Management training session. The group...

“Very informative and applicable” – University College Cork staff
Staff at University College Cork joined us onsite recently for Fistral’s Introduction to Project Management training session. The group gave it a rating of 4.75 out...

“A useful arsenal of techniques” – University of Manchester CDT feedback
PhD students at the University of Manchester iCAT CDT joined us onsite in the city for Fistral’s Project Management in the...

“Fantastically Applicable” – University of Bristol Staff, Project Management Tools Training feedback
Staff at the University of Bristol joined us onsite for Fistral’s Project Management Tools for Managing Your Research Project training...

“Glad to have taken the course for my PhD” – University of Strathclyde Time Management Course feedback
PhD students at the University of Strathclyde logged on to Fistral's Keeping on Top of Your PhD: Personal Time Management...

“Do it early in your project, helpful tools to get started” – University of Strathclyde feedback
PhD students at the University of Strathclyde logged on to Fistral’s Introduction to Project Management training course. The group gave...

University of Strathclyde PhD Students rate CAPM Preparation course 5 out of 5
PhD students at the University of Strathclyde logged on Fistral’s CAPM Preparation training course. This course prepares attendees to sit...

“Skills I will apply to PhD” – Ulster University feedback for Introduction to Project Planning Part 4
PhD students at Ulster University logged on to the fourth and final part of our Introduction to Project Planning training...

“Wish I had known this before” – Bristol staff on Project Management Techniques for Planning Your Research
Staff at Bristol University logged on to parts 1&2 of Fistral’s Project Management Techniques for Planning Your Research training course....

5 out of 5 score – Ulster University feedback for Introduction to Project Planning Part 3
PhD students at Ulster University logged on to part 3 of our Introduction to Project Planning training course. The attendees...

“The reality check I needed” – Ulster University feedback for Introduction to Project Planning webinar
Joining us online, a group of PhD students at Ulster University undertook part 2 of our Introduction to Project Planning...

“Very practical and can tailor to your needs.” – Ulster University feedback for Introduction to Project Planning webinar
PhD students at Ulster University logged on to part 1 of our Introduction to Project Planning training course. The attendees...

University of Strathclyde group score supervisory relationship webinar 5 out of 5
PhD students at the University of Strathclyde logged on to our training course entitled Creating a Good Supervisory Relationship. The...

“Great practical tips” – University of Bristol CDT, Time Management webinar
We were joined online by PhDs from two University of Bristol CDTs; CoSEM and Digital Health. The training session we...

“Excellent practical training” – University of Strathclyde PhD
At the University of Strathclyde in our home town of Glasgow, we ran our course entitled Project Management in the...

“Very useful on theoretical and practical grounds.” – University of Strathclyde Researcher
Researchers from the Advanced Forming Research Centre at the University of Strathclyde joined Fistral for our onsite course entitled Project...

“Motivating with actionable changes in behaviour” – University of Bristol CDT webinar feedback
We were joined online by PhD students from three University of Bristol CDTs; ACCIS, CoSEM and Digital Health. The training...

“Already suggested it to colleagues” – University of Strathclyde PhD
We joined University of Strathclyde PhD students onsite for our Advanced Project Management training session. The group gave it an...

“Another great Fistral Session” – University of Strathclyde PhD, Professional Communication session
University of Strathclyde PhD students logged on to join Fistral’s Techniques for Confident Professional Communication webinar training session. The group...

“Useful and helpful” – University of Bath, Introduction to Project Mgt session
A mix of research staff and PhDs at the University of Bath logged on to Fistral’s Introduction to Project Management...

“Great for PhD planning” – University of Strathclyde feedback
A group from the University of Strathclyde joined us remotely for Fistral’s Risk Management in the Real World training. The...

“Practical, easy to apply tips” – King’s College London PhD student
PhD students from King's College London joined us remotely for our training session entitled Get Unstuck: Procrastination Busting. The group...

“Useful, relevant and easy to understand” – Loughborough University feedback
Staff at Loughborough University joined us onsite for our training session entitled Project Management in the Real World. The group...

“Effective and practical” – University of Leeds staff, influencing without authority session
Postgraduate Researchers at the University of Leeds logged on to Fistral’s training session entitled Influencing Without Authority. The group gave...

“Very valuable in our work” – University of Winchester staff
Research staff from the University of Winchester joined us online for our training session entitled Managing Conflict in Research Teams....

“Will improve quality of my work” – University of Strathclyde
PhD students at the University of Strathclyde joined us remotely for Fistral’s Taking Charge of Your Time: Avoid Drifting training....

“Already applying the tools” – Heriot-Watt feedback
PhD students at Heriot-Watt University joined us onsite for Fistral’s Project Management in the Real World course. The group gave...

“Very useful and applicable” – King’s College London feedback
PhD students at King's College London logged on to Fistral’s Take Charge of Your Time and Your Research: Time Management...

“Learned how to better manage my time during PhD” – University of Strathclyde feedback
We welcomed PhD sudents at the University of Strathclyde onsite for our training course Keeping on Top of Your PhD:...

“Well Balanced between theory and practical exercises” – Space staff training feedback
Space industry staff at ESTEC welcomed Fistral onsite once again in The Netherlands for a Fistral training course, Project Management...

“Widely applicable” – University of Winchester feedback
A cohort of PhD students at the University of Winchester joined us online for our training course Making Your Case:...

“Something for everyone” – Ulster University feedback
A cohort of PhD students at Ulster University joined us online the fourth and final part of Fistral’s Introduction to...

“Provides skills to thrive in team projects” – Space Sector Staff on teamworking training
Staff at LSE Space GmbH, joined Fistral onsite for our training course entitled The Effective Teamworker. Those attending the session...

“Provided tools I can implement now” – Ulster University feedback
A cohort of PhD students at Ulster University joined us online for the third part of Fistral’s Introduction to Project...

“Practical insights and real-world examples” – Space Sector Staff feedback
Onsite at LSE Space GmbH, Fistral delivered our Leadership Skills and Techniques for New Leaders training. The staff undertaking the...

“Important in Project Planning” – Ulster University feedback
A cohort of PhD students at Ulster University logged on to part 2 of Fistral’s Introduction to Project Planning training...

“Very useful and reassuring for first year PhD student” – Ulster University feedback
A group of PhD students at Ulster University logged on to part 1 of our Introduction to Project Planning training...

“Relevant to my current role and career aspirations” – Dundee University staff feedback for Introduction to Project Planning
Staff at the University of Dundee logged on to our Introduction to Project Planning webinar session. Feedback comments included: “[The...

“A very useful way to start my PhD” – University of Strathclyde PGR feedback
We welcomed PGR’s at the University of Strathclyde online to our Introduction to Project Management webinar training course and they...

“A useful reminder of good habits” – University of Winchester PGR
A group of PGRs at the University of Winchester logged on to our Take Charge of Your Time and Prioritise...

“Super helpful for research life” – Technische Universität Berlin feedback
We welcomed a group of PGR's onsite at the Technische Universität Berlin to Fistral's Build Your Resilience & Take your...

“Crucial perspective for managing relationships in academia” – Politecnico di Milano feedback
PhD students at Politecnico di Milano logged on to our training course entitled Being Assertive In An Academic Environment. The...

“Practical tools to better manage PhD” – University of Strathclyde feedback
We joined PhD students in Glasgow at the University of Strathclyde for Fistral’s Project Management in the Real World training...

“Evidence-based and practical examples” – University of South Australia score PM Essentials for Researchers webinar 5 out of 5
Researchers at University of South Australia logged on to parts 1 to 4 of our Project Management Essentials for Researchers...

“Engaging and practical” – 4.93 from Loughborough University Staff
Staff from Loughborough University welcomed us onsite for our Project Management in the Real World training session. The group gave...

“Useful to learn how to organise a project to completion” – CAPM programme rates 4.86 at University of Bath
A mix of research staff and PhDs from the University of Bath logged on to Fistral’s CAPM Preparation training session....

“Giving and receiving difficult feedback” training – rated Very Good by LSE Space Staff
LSE Space staff joined Fistral onsite for our training, Giving and Receiving Difficult Feedback: A Practice-Based Workshop. LSE is an...