“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” Dr Seuss
The Fistral “Espresso” Range – access PM videos for FREE
During Covid-19 everyone is pulling together to help where they can, and the Fistral team is doing our bit too. To support customers, course participants and anyone with an interest in Project Management (PM), we have developed the following bite-sized videos that we’re making free to access during the pandemic.
We call this our Fistral “Espresso” range as it’s an intense ‘shot’ of learning.
The videos below focus on Project Management and are aimed at PhD/PGR and Early Career Researchers. Each video is circa 5 minutes long, and although presented in the context of research, the tools, tips and techniques are equally useful in any project and across any industry or sector. Fistral also offer a range of webinars across our Product Suite – on PM, Leading & Influencing, Communication & Collaboration, and Personal Effectiveness which, linked to the above, we’re calling our “Americano” range. Customers can book and schedule webinars as per an onsite training session. See our Webinar Page or Contact Us for more info.
Please share these videos as widely as you can – with your network, friends, colleagues, classmates, students, relatives – in case it’s of help or interest to anyone during this time.
Fistral Espressos
In response to customer requests, we have initially focused on developing videos on Project Management topics specifically aimed at PhD, PGR and Early Career Researchers. The PM tools and techniques below will help with managing any project, but are presented in the context of research. The videos are sequenced, and we recommend you watch them in order. However if you’ve attended a Fistral PM session before, have PM experience, just need a refresher, or want a just-in-time ‘shot’ of knowledge – feel free to jump to the relevant topic.
Our focus when developing Fistral “Espressos” – as with all our training – is to ensure the content is useful, practical, has a common-sense approach, and is accessible and easy-to-understand. Based on trainers’ experiences working in industry and academia for over 20 years, and their expertise delivering highly successful consultancy and training across sectors globally, Espressos provide tried-and-tested knowledge underpinned by sound theoretical principles.
More Fistral ‘Espressos’ are planned for development, but feel free to Contact Us if you have suggestions for specific topics. To keep up to date, follow @FraserFistral, Newsletter Signup or check back here to see what’s new.
01. Introduction to Project Management – What is a Project?
What is a project? What do we mean by project management? And why is it applicable to me? This session defines what we mean by project management, contextualising it within a research environment. It also provides an overview of how to use these videos, who we are, and the Fistral approach to project management. Length 03:49
02. Project Initiation
So you’ve got a project, are preparing a bid, have received funding or been given a piece of work to complete… How should you start planning and organising? This session discusses what you should be considering, where you begin, and what key questions you should be asking right from the start. Length 04:43
03. The Project Triangle
The secret to managing any project effectively is understanding your constraints and how any change will have an impact upon other aspects of your work. This session introduces a simple but effective way to consider this. Length 04:00
04. Prioritisation
Often we have too much to do and too little time! This session introduces a method of identifying the most important elements of your project and allowing focus on them, leaving the items of less importance to later. Length 04:55
05. Stakeholder Identification
Projects do not happen in isolation – they are affected by the world around them. This session helps to begin identifying some of these key influencing factors in the form of stakeholders and how understanding these people can be extremely useful when considering our project. Length 04:12
06. The Scope Document
Managing expectations and boundaries is crucial in any work environment. This session examines simple way to begin to do this in projects of any size. Length 04:03
07. The Planning Process
This session gives a brief overview of the planning process and contextualises the tools to be discussed in sessions 08-12. We recommend viewing this session before proceeding to 08-12. Length 03:52
08. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
It might sound obvious, but a key element in planning any bit of work is actually understanding what is involved in it. In this session you’ll be introduced to a fundamental project management tool that kicks off the whole planning process and is one of the most transferable techniques around. Length 04:04
09. Task Duration
This session examines the differences between active and passive tasks, and why it is important to identify and include both when planning your work. Length 04:59
10. Activity Sequencing
Working efficiently involves identifying the best order in which to perform the different tasks and figuring out where multi-tasking will work or where tasks just have to be done one after the other. This session establishes a method of easily identifying the optimal dependencies of task, establishing which are the key time-dependent activities and which have greater flexibility. Length 05:27
11. Activity Scheduling
The famous Gantt Chart! This session demystifies the most popular of project management artefacts, the Gantt Chart. It demonstrates how it can be a powerful tool if developed correctly but is only as good as the information entered in to it so should be used with great care. You will be shown how to create a Gantt Chart properly! Length 04:46
12. Resource Allocation
All projects require several resources – even those where it only seems to be us alone doing the work! This session considers resource planning to allow others to make time for you. It also examines that if we’re in a resource constrained project (e.g. it genuinely is only us!) how to optimise our schedule. Length 07:08
See our Product Suite or Online Training page for topics and to see more Fistral ranges – e.g. video (“Espresso”) and face-to-face (“Grande”) training. Or Contact Us for more information.
For Customer Comments see Testimonials
“Grounded in real-life practical issues” – Project Planning for PhDs
PhD students at the University of Liverpool logged on to part one of our Introduction to Project Planning webinar series,...
“The best workshop I’ve been to so far, hands down” – Project Management Course
Postgraduate researchers at Heriot-Watt University attended all three parts of Fistral’s Project Management webinar course. The students were logging on...
“Can’t wait to start using the techniques!” – PM webinar
We welcomed a group of staff from across the University of Dundee back with us to part three of Fistral’s...
4.79 for Risk Management
PGRs at the University of Strathclyde logged on to a day of online training entitled Project Risk Management. The group...
4.75 – “Training was useful and really felt like it was tailored for academic/PhD setting”
We hosted a group of PhD students at the University of Strathclyde on a day of online training entitled Introduction...
“Useful tools to apply in research projects”, 4.70 rating from staff
We held a three-part Project Planning webinar series attended by staff from Heriot-Watt University. The series included sessions called Establishing...
“Toolkit now in place to make the most out of my PhD” – Time Management Training
We hosted PhD students from the University of Strathclyde to an online training course called Keeping on Top of Your...
Procrastination Busting helps PhDs “be aware of potential pitfalls and how to overcome them”
We hosted a group of PhD students from Edinburgh Napier University on a webinar session entitled Getting Unstuck – Procrastination...
“Useful information for your PhD project” – Introduction to Project Planning
PhD students at the University of Strathclyde attended our three-part webinar training Introduction to Project Planning (Parts 1, 2 and...
LSE Space staff say Agile PM provides “Important and useful concepts” for Space projects
Space agency staff joined us recently for a webinar session Agile Product Management: An Introduction Using Scrum. The staff gave...
Agile PM is “Very useful” for UK Catapult staff, 100% would recommend
Fistral hosted a group of staff at one of the UK’s Catapult Centres – Offshore Renewables Energy Catapult (ORE) for a webinar...
Senior research staff say Managing Complex Projects is “Definitely worth attending”
We welcomed senior research staff at the University of Warwick back to part two of our training Advanced Techniques for Managing...
Resilience Building webinar -“It’s given me a new perspective on how I approach my PhD”
PhD students at Edinburgh Napier University logged on to Fistral’s webinar entitled Surviving the Long Haul: Resilience Building. The students...
“Immediately applicable” for CDTs – Introduction to Project Planning
We hosted a group of PhD students from the University of Bath for an online training session Introduction to Project...
4.92, Planning for Uncertainty – “This is probably the only project planning course to learn all you need to for any research work”
PGRs at University of Ulster Doctoral College logged into the fourth and final session of Fistral’s Introduction to Project Planning...
“The tools explained could be really useful for e.g. grant proposal writing” – Managing Complex Research Projects
We hosted a webinar session called Advanced Techniques for Managing Complex Research Projects (Part 1) for senior research staff at...
Introduction to Project Planning (Part Three) – 5 out of 5
PhD students at University of Ulster Doctoral College logged into the third consecutive session in our Introduction to Project Planning...
Creating a Good Supervisory Relationship – “It will help not only develop your relationship with your supervisor but understand what type of student you are too”
We hosted a group of PhD students from the University of Liverpool Doctoral College on a webinar session entitled Creating...
“Great for getting off the ground with PhD” – 4.81 for Intro to Project Planning (Part Two)
PhD students at University of Ulster Doctoral College logged into part two of our Introduction to Project Planning webinar series....
“Helps look at the bigger picture of a PhD” – Introduction to Project Planning (Part One)
A group of PhD students at University of Ulster Doctoral College logged into part one of our Introduction to Project...
4.88 – Project Management training at UoBath
Fistral’s Introduction to Project Management webinar training course was attended by PhD students at the University of Bath UKRI Centre...
“Very effective” – Time Management webinar at UoLiverpool
PhD students at the University of Liverpool logged on to Fistral’s webinar session Taking Charge of Your Time: Avoid Drifting....
“A brilliant session!” – Project Management: 5 Key Tips for Undergrads (new course)
The leadership team of the University of Strathclyde undergraduate group 'Strathloop' logged on to Fistral’s brand new webinar “Project Management:...
“As an innovation organisation [Agile PM] is a good insight into how we can improve our proposal and design development process”
Staff at one of the UK's Catapult Centres - Offshore Renewables Energy Catapult (ORE) logged on to Fistral’s online training...
Time Management – LSE Space – 100% would recommend & 100% will be able to apply the learning
Staff at LSE Space GmbH logged on to our Time Management Strategies webinar. The space sector staff gave an overall...
5 out of 5 from UKRI CDT- Intro PM, onsite, “Actually shows how project management is useful to our process”
Our first onsite course of the academic year was delivered to PGRs at the University of Bath. The UKRI CDT...
“Great course” – Kick off your PhD
Walsh scholars at Teagasc logged on to a Q&A session following on from Fistral’s Kick off your PhD asynchronous programme....
PM Planning – 100% of MSc group would recommend to a colleague
The final group of Masters-level students from Queen’s University Belfast MSC programme joined us for our one-day Introduction to Project...
“I wish we had done this a year ago!” – University Staff
Staff from the University of Dundee logged on to two Fistral webinar sessions “Introduction to Project Planning” and “Planning for...
“Loved it!” – Project Planning webinar 4.63
MSc students from Queen’s University Belfast MSc programme attended a one-day Introduction to Project Planning webinar. The students gave the...
QUB MSc students give 4.65 for Project Planning
Postgraduate students from Queen’s University Belfast MSc programme attended Fistral's one-day Introduction to Project Planning webinar session. This session was...
BME ECRs – Building Resilience is “A very helpful session”
A group of ECR staff and PhD students logged on to Fistral’s Building Resilience webinar, a follow-on skills training session...
BME ECR post-conference skills – 4.56 for Maximising Your Potential
Early career researchers (ECRs) and PhD students logged on to Fistral’s Maximising Your Potential webinar. This webinar was a follow-on...
“Brilliant as usual” – Collaboration webinar for BME ECRs
BME ECRs logged on to our Collaborating Effectively With Others webinar, a follow-on training session held after the 5th BME...
Maximising your potential – 100% will put the learning into practice
Early career researchers (ECRs) from Universities and locations up and down the whole of the UK logged on to Fistral’s...
Research staff and students rate Project Planning 4.88 out of 5
A mixed group of attendees from Edinburgh Napier University logged on to our four-part series for research staff and PGRs....
Edinburgh Napier University – Stress, Resilience, Procrastination Busting
Fistral has welcomed attendees from Edinburgh Napier University on several recent online training sessions. Post-graduate researchers logged on to our...
The Powerful Communicator is “interesting and useful” – staff working in Space Sector
Staff from LSE Space GmbH logged on to Fistral’s training webinar The Powerful Communicator. The group gave an overall feedback...
“Loads of great ideas which I am really excited about implementing” – PM Essentials for staff
Research staff from the University of Warwick, logged on to the fourth and final of the Project Management Essentials series...
Space Sector staff give 4.80 for PM Principles skills training
Staff at independent space consultancy LSE Space GmbH logged on to Fistral’s Project Management Principles - Level 1 training session....
Managing complex research projects for senior research staff – 4.61
Senior researchers at the University of Warwick continued the two-part series of webinars Managing Complex Research Projects logging on to...
Project Management Essentials for Research Staff – 4.58
Research staff from the University of Warwick logged on to the third session in the Project Management Essentials series of four...
4.71 “Super useful” – Procrastination Busting
PhD students at the University of Ulster Doctoral College, across three years of study, logged on to Fistral’s webinar session,...
4.75 – Avoid Drifting webinar
Postgraduate researchers at the University of Liverpool Doctoral College logged on to Fistral’s webinar Taking Charge of Your Time: Avoid...
Project Management Essentials for Research Staff (Part 2)
Research staff from the University of Warwick Researcher Development Programme logged on to the second session in the Project Management...
Managing Complex Projects for senior research staff (1/2)- 4.71
Senior research staff at the University of Warwick attended part one of a two-part Fistral webinar series Managing Complex Research...
“Should be mandatory” – Space sector attendee
Staff from the European Space Agency logged on to Fistral’s Project Management Principles Level 1 webinar. Comments from the group...
The Effective Teamworker in the Space sector – “Very well balanced, definitely applicable to real-life work situations.”
Staff from independent space consultancy LSE Space GmbH logged on to Fistral’s training webinar The Effective Teamworker. The group gave...
“Really useful things that I can take away and use for my work” – Time Management Strategies for researchers
Attendees from the University of Strathclyde Doctoral College and Researcher Development programme logged on to Fistral’s Keeping on Top of...
“Great series of workshops” – 4.67 across all sessions
Postgraduate Researchers at the University of Ulster attended our four-part online training course; Introduction to Project Planning for researchers. Rating...