Getting your project started

Junior Project Management course – Europa Media Trainings

Budapest, 13-15 April 2011.

Ms. Adrienn Cseko

Project Manager
Content

Who is Who?

Consortium Agreement

Kick-off meeting

Communication and
management

Things to keep in mind
Who is Who?
Project Officer and the Legal European Commission
and Financial Officer:
The consortium’s interface with the EC
Coordinator:

The Consortium’s representative Coordinator
towards the EC

Keeps the project on track
Partners:
Joint responsibility for the Project P1 P2 P3 Px
implementation defined by the GA!
Subcontractor(s):
Not part of Consortium – profit included Subcontractors
Consortium Agreement

Civil contract between the Beneficiaries

Why?Mandatory unless…

When?
CA – What to include

Definitions

Technical Provisions

Managerial Provisions
Steering Committee - powers and roles of the decision making bodies,
specific rules of voting
Mechanisms for quality assurance and control - Internal deliverables

Financial Provisions

IPR - dissemination & use
Access rights to background
Ownership, transfer, protection of foreground

General Provisions

Check list: ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/checklist_en.pdf
CA - Possible problems and mistakes

Applicable law – if you want to base the
CA on the Belgian law: get a lawyer from
Belgium

Lack of definitions – guaranteed disaster!!

Hastily prepared

Roadmap and consequences for failure or
withdrawal not laid out properly

IPR, business plans not laid out properly
(use annexes)
CA – Information & Help
Standard modular Consortium Agreements:
DESCA, IMG4, IPCA, EUCAR
Comparison of different CA models and modular
agreements are available online
Example: http://www.desca-fp7.eu/download-desca/

IPR Helpdesk: http://www.ipr-helpdesk.org/home.html

Email: ipr-helpdesk@ua.es
Getting started with the Kick-off meeting

Specify the date well in advance

Invite the Project Officer

Agenda – everyone should be active at the
meeting

Organise:

Public session?

Site visits?

Ice-breaking event(s)
Kick-off meeting - what to include?

Coordinator’s perspective and the basics - clarifying the
project concept and interdependencies between WPs!

EC’s perspective

Introduction of each partner

Work Package presentations by WP leaders

Critical path – overview of critical issues

IPR issues including the Consortium Agreement

Administration, internal monitoring, decision-making
structure, financial issues

....
Kick-off meeting - Detailed planning
Detailed work planning is crucial for the project

WP discussions including:

Activities – timeline – resources – partners’
roles and responsibilities

Detailed planning for the first 6 months/1st year :

Who is doing what when?

Deliverables; by whom, by when?

Formats - reports, data, templates
Kick-off meeting - Train your partners
Include a training session on reporting

Technical reporting

Financial reporting

Provide:

Templates

Practical examples

Never assume that the partners already know!

Minutes of the Kick-off meeting

Who was present? – signed attendance list

What was discussed?

Critical points, questions, conclusions

Activities in detail, timeline, results, person hours, links
to other tasks
description of responsible
task deadline
the task person/partner
1 task
1.1 task
1.2 task
2 task
2.1 task
…
…and for the first few months…

Test and implement your project management
systems and routines:

Intranet

Protocol on delivery and reporting (in-house deliverables)

Test your communication protocols; sometimes
e-mail is not enough

„In-house” deliverables – monitoring
performance

Arising problems: if there is smoke there is
fire!!!
 Final remarks

Never underestimate the human factor

Set the good, efficient and pleasant working style

from the very beginning

Deadline is deadline!

Be proactive and creative

Keep your Project Officer and your partners happy

☺
Thank you for your attention!

Adrienn Cseko
adrienn.cseko@geonardo.com

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