Case Story: National Project Coordinators Network

Summary	Creating a self-sustaining network for Project Coordinators at a National level
Group / workshop	ALiC	Status	seed
Project details...	The National Project Coordinators Network (NPCN) is the furthering of project practice and to establish a self-sustaining network of university project coordinators. The NPCN aims to identify common problems and good practice coordinating projects. http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/projectnetwork/index.html

Situation

What was the setting in which this case study occurred?

A network of project coordinators geographically dispersed across the country. Network members meet face to face annually at a NPCN meeting to discuss best practice, common problems and network sustainability.

Task

What was the problem to be solved, or the intended effect?

The network needed a way of facilitating discussion and mutual sharing of expertise about project coordination. To share information and discuss issues, both current and in the foreseeable future, on coordinating projects. The problem is to create a self-sustaining network where getting busy people to meet consistently is hard to sustain.

Actions

What was done to fulfil the task?

Initial setup and identifying community members:

1. All computing departments will engage in projects, which implies a community of 100-150 people.
2. Leeds have identified as many of these coordinators as possible and will continue to invite them to subsequent events.

First inaugural NPCN meeting set up by Leeds hosted by HEA ICS at the University of Leeds (25th April 2007). This meeting focused on Project Work Pragmatics, provided and provided an overview of operational aspects to facilitate discussion.

Second NPCN meeting was organised for October 2007, postponed to November 2007 and further postponed to August 2008.

Results

What happened? Was is a success? What contributed to the outcomes?

Inaugural Meeting:

1. 23 delegates attended from 16 universities including 6 speakers
2. feedback from delegates presented a broad and strong interest and saw the need and the benefits having a NPCN
3. interest from Southampton to host a NPCN network meeting
4. organising a second meeting based on interest of delegates

Second Meeting:

1. Postponed twice despite interest shown for a second event. Reasons possible due to timing and availability of coordinators to attend.
2. Arranging meeting as part of the HEA ICS annual conference to use the existing HEA mechanism for hosting events.

Lessons Learned

What did you learn from the experience?

1. Annual meetings as project coordinators are extremely busy and it is only one aspect of their employment
2. Use existing mechanisms such as conferences and events to take the initiative forward that attracts a wide attendance of the relevant people
3. continual updating of list of project coordinators

Licensing

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