Project management

PSYC 11: Laboratory in Psychological Science

Jeremy R. Manning
Dartmouth College
Spring 2026

Staying on track

  • When big team deadlines are far away, how can you know if you are on track?
  • Break down your big tasks into smaller tasks with interim deadlines
  • Define points of accountability
  • Use frequent updates and audits

How do you decide what to work on "next"?

  • What have I already done?
  • What are the next milestones?
  • Is there anything I'm stuck on?

Tips and tricks for implementation

  • Tasks are associated with products -- a task is not "done" until you have something tangible to show for it
  • When you accept or assign a task, make sure it is clear what the deliverable will be
  • Pilot test early: run through your experiment yourself before collecting real data
  • Life happens -- communicate with your team if expectations shift

Tools to keep you organized

  • Slack channel: daily check-ins, quick questions, sharing files
  • Shared Google Doc: running notes, task assignments, meeting agendas
  • Project board (Trello, GitHub Projects, etc.): track tasks visually with columns like "To Do," "In Progress," and "Done"
  • Pick whatever works for your group -- the best system is the one you actually use

Discussion: what is your plan for this week?

  • In your groups, answer:
    • What does each person need to do before next class?
    • What is the single biggest risk to your project right now?
    • What help do you need from the TA or me?

Human subjects training (CPHS)

  • All group members must complete the CPHS (Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects) training before collecting any data from human participants
  • This is a Dartmouth requirement for all research involving human subjects
  • You need to complete this at home over the weekend

How to complete CPHS training

  1. Go to https://cphs.dartmouth.edu and log in with your Dartmouth credentials
  2. Navigate to the CITI Training section
  3. Complete the "Social & Behavioral Research" basic course
  4. The training takes approximately 1--2 hours
  5. Save your completion certificate -- you will need to submit it

Complete CPHS training before next week's class so your group can begin data collection on time.