Academic researchers use a research plan for their thesis, dissertation or grant-funded studies. However, businesses and corporations also use a research plan for market research and product development. Even government agencies, policymakers and nonprofits use it.
But what exactly is a research plan, what goes into it and why is it so important that organizations take the time and effort to conduct one? We’ll answer these questions and outline an example to show how it works in a real-life scenario. Finally, readers can download a free research plan template to help them get started.
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Research Plan Template
Use this free Research Plan Template for Word to manage your projects better.
What Is a Research Plan?
A research plan is a detailed framework that outlines the objectives, methodology, timeline and resources required for a research project. It serves as a roadmap for researchers, ensuring the study remains focused, organized and aligned with its goals. A well-structured research plan helps secure funding, gain approvals and effectively manage the research process.
A research plan is crucial for guiding a study from concept to completion. Outlining objectives, methodology, resources and risks ensures a structured, efficient and impactful research process. Whether for academic, business or policy research, a well-crafted research plan increases the chances of success and meaningful contributions.
If this sounds familiar, that’s because it is. Research planning is no different than creating a project plan, with its timeline, budget and resources. Therefore, anyone involved in creating a research plan will benefit from using the same tools that project managers and project teams use to plan, manage and track their work. In other words, project management software.
ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with multiple project views to plan the research and allow teams to execute their tasks with the right tools for their jobs. That starts with scheduling tasks, resources and costs on a Gantt chart that can also link dependent tasks to avoid costly delays. It also filters for the critical path to identify essential tasks and slack and sets a baseline to track progress in real time.
That research plan created on the Gantt chart is shared across multiple project views. Research teams can use kanbans to visualize their workflow, manage their backlog and collaborate. There are also task lists that prioritize work and allow for comments and attachments, just as on all project views. Stakeholders can get an overview of the project by using the calendar view. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.
What Should Be Included in a Research Plan for a Project?
A research plan is a structured document that outlines the key elements of a research project, ensuring clarity, organization and feasibility. It helps define the research goals, methodology, resources and timeline while addressing potential challenges. Below are the essential components of a research plan.
Research Project Background & Justification
This section provides context for the research, explaining why the study is necessary.
- An overview of the problem or opportunity being investigated
- A review of existing literature or previous studies
- Justification for conducting the research, including its significance and potential impact
Research Questions and Objectives
Clearly defining the research questions and objectives helps maintain focus.
- The primary and secondary questions the study aims to answer
- Specific, measurable objectives that outline what the research intends to achieve
Key Stakeholders
Identifying stakeholders ensures the research aligns with their needs and expectations.
- Who the key stakeholders are (e.g., sponsors, research participants, government agencies, business leaders)
- How stakeholders will be engaged throughout the research process
Expected Outcomes
This section describes the anticipated results of the research and their implications.
- How the findings will contribute to existing knowledge or practical applications
- Potential recommendations or actions based on the research results
Research Methodology
The methodology outlines how the research will be conducted.
- The research design (qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods)
- Data collection methods (surveys, interviews, experiments, observations, etc.)
- Data analysis techniques and tools
Research Project Scope
Defining the scope prevents scope creep and ensures efficiency.
- The specific topics, areas or subjects covered in the research
- Any exclusions or limitations to keep the project focused
Assumptions and Constraints
Every research project operates under certain assumptions and constraints.
- Key assumptions that must hold true for the research to be valid
- Constraints such as budget limits, time restrictions and data availability
Timeline
A structured timeline helps keep the research on track.
- The key phases of the research, from planning to final reporting
- Milestones and deadlines for data collection, analysis and publication
Resource Requirements
This section identifies the resources necessary to complete the research.
- Personnel (researchers, data analysts, field assistants)
- Equipment, software and data access requirements
Estimated Costs
A budget breakdown ensures financial feasibility and funding allocation.
- Estimated costs for personnel, materials, software and travel
- Potential funding sources or sponsorships
By incorporating these key elements, a research plan provides a clear roadmap, ensuring a well-organized and successful research project.
Benefits of Writing a Research Plan for a Project
A well-structured research plan provides clarity, direction and alignment for a research project. It ensures that all aspects of the study are carefully planned and effectively managed, leading to successful execution.
Helps Manage Stakeholders’ Expectations
A research plan clearly defines the project’s objectives, scope and expected outcomes, ensuring stakeholders understand what to expect. It aligns stakeholder interests by outlining their roles and responsibilities, preventing misunderstandings and unrealistic expectations. Setting clear deliverables helps maintain transparency throughout the research process.
Ensures Project Strategic Alignment
Aligning research with an organization’s goals and priorities ensures its relevance and long-term impact. A well-crafted plan demonstrates how the research supports decision-making and contributes to organizational growth. It also helps justify the project’s importance within a broader strategic framework.
Allows Organizations to Validate the Feasibility of a Research Project
A research plan helps assess whether the project is achievable within the available time, budget and resources. It identifies potential risks and constraints early, allowing for better planning and mitigation strategies. Additionally, a structured plan strengthens funding and approval decisions by demonstrating the project’s viability.
By creating a research plan, organizations can ensure a smooth process, align efforts with strategic objectives and maximize the impact of their research.
Research Plan Template
For those who want to have the research plan already outlined, all they have to do is fill in the details in this free research plan template for Word. It helps researchers organize their thoughts and methods while ensuring nothing is overlooked in the process.
Using this free template allows for better time management, allowing for the planning of a timeline and the setting of realistic deadlines for each research stage. This will help keep the project on track.
Project Research Plan Example
To better understand what a project research plan looks like, let’s review a research plan example. Imagine a car manufacturer that’s developing a solid-state battery that aims to outperform current electric vehicle batteries.
Research Project Background & Justification
The rapid evolution of battery storage technology has created opportunities to enhance energy efficiency and sustainability in consumer electronics. This research project focuses on developing a next-generation solid-state battery with higher energy density, improved safety and faster charging capabilities compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. The project aims to address challenges in material stability, production scalability and cost-effectiveness, ensuring feasibility for commercial applications.
Research Questions and Objectives
- Research Questions
- What materials offer the highest energy density and stability for solid-state batteries?
- How can manufacturing processes be optimized to reduce production costs?
- What design modifications enhance battery lifespan and safety?
- Research Objectives
- Identify and test promising electrolyte materials for high efficiency.
- Develop a scalable production method while maintaining performance standards.
- Assess battery performance under real-world conditions for safety and reliability.
Expected Outcomes
- A working prototype of a solid-state battery with improved performance metrics.
- A technical feasibility report outlining best materials and manufacturing techniques.
- A cost-benefit analysis to determine commercial viability.
- Identification of potential partnerships with manufacturers for scale-up.
Research Methodology
- Literature Review: Analysis of existing battery technologies and material studies.
- Material Experimentation: Testing different solid electrolytes in laboratory conditions.
- Prototype Development: Designing and assembling a small-scale battery model.
- Performance Testing: Evaluating charge cycles, efficiency and thermal stability.
- Industry Benchmarking: Comparing results with current lithium-ion and other solid-state batteries.
Research Project Scope
- In-Scope: Material research, prototype development, cost analysis, safety testing.
- Out-of-Scope: Full-scale production, market deployment strategies.
Assumptions and Constraints
Assumptions
- Emerging materials will be available for testing.
- The research will yield a commercially viable prototype within the given timeframe.
Constraints
- Budget limitations for advanced material acquisition.
- Dependency on external suppliers for key components.
- Compliance with evolving safety regulations.
Timeline
- Phase 1: Literature Review & Material Selection, 3 Months
- Phase 2: Lab Testing & Prototype Development, 6 Months
- Phase 3: Performance Testing & Refinement, 4 Months
- Phase 4: Final Report & Business Feasibility Analysis, 2 Months
Resource Requirements
- Human Resources: Research scientists, material engineers, testing specialists
- Equipment: Lab-scale battery fabrication tools, testing chambers
- Software: Simulation software for material performance analysis
- External Support: Academic partnerships, supplier collaboration
Estimated Costs
- Materials & Supplies: $250,000
- Equipment & Software: $150,000
- Personnel: $400,000
- Testing & Compliance: $100,000
- Contingency: $50,000
- Total: $950,000
This research plan serves as a structured guide to drive the successful execution of the solid-state battery R&D project while ensuring technical feasibility and commercial potential.
How ProjectManager Helps With Research Projects
It’s clear that a research plan is no different than the planning stage in project management. Therefore, project management software is going to improve the likelihood of success over using a static template. That’s because templates might organize the research planning, but then it’s stuck in an isolated document. Project managers can’t assign tasks and track progress and teams can’t execute their tasks from a Word document. More efficient is to create that plan on ProjectManager’s award-winning Gantt charts and allow teams to choose the tools they want to use to do their work.
Robust Resource Management Keeps Teams Productive
Once human and nonhuman resources are scheduled on the Gantt, teams can be onboarded and assigned tasks. But first, set their availability to streamline the process. Then, get an overview of resource allocation on the color-coded workload chart. It makes it easy to see who is overallocated or underutilized. Then, balance the team’s workload without having to leave the chart. This keeps teams working at capacity without threatening burnout. For a daily or weekly summary of team activity, check out the team page. It can be filtered by priority or progress, and tasks updated right from that page.
Track Progress and More Real-Time Dashboards and Reports
There are other ways to monitor resources and other aspects of the project. For a high-level overview of the project’s key metrics, toggle to the real-time project or portfolio dashboard. It requires no set up, and starts automatically collecting live data that’s displayed on easy-to-read graphs and charts that show time, cost, workload and more. Customizable reports get deeper into the details of project and portfolio status, as well as workload, timesheets and variance. All reports can be quickly generated and filtered to focus on key data points or summarize progress to share with stakeholders. Secure timesheets help with payroll, but also provide a window into labor costs to keep on budget.
Related Content
If a research plan is just the first step to managing a project, then there is surely much to learn about the various aspects of project planning. Below are some links to recent articles that we’ve published on how to write a business case, execute a plan successfully and more.
- What Is a Work Plan? How to Make a Work Plan In 7 Steps
- How to Write a Business Case (Template Included)
- Modern Challenges of R&D Teams in Manufacturing
- What Is an Implementation Plan?
- How to Execute a Plan Successfully
ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.
