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Canada Research Chair on Technology Project Management

M. Bourgault research aims toward facilitating development of innovative approaches with a view to better planning and coordination of technology projects involving a large number of participants in different locations.

Efficient Project Management at a Distance: Making it More than a Remote Possibility !

Imagine engineers scattered all over the planet working together in real time to design new products, or scientists in different laboratories sharing their knowledge and skills with one another to develop a new drug. Do you think these are commonplace situations? Well, they are in some large companies, but for most organizations, carrying out research and development projects on a collaborative or distributed basis is still fraught with difficulties, especially in terms of management.

According to some recent findings, delocalizing R&D projects causes technical, organizational and human dysfunctions: limited interoperability and integration of corporate systems, problems in coordinating interdependent functions, many different operating procedures, and weak social interaction between participants. These shortcomings can be reflected in cost overruns, failure to meet delivery deadlines, and lower quality.

Mario Bourgault has been interested in the management of technology projects for a number of years. In light of his considerable practical experience as an engineer and researcher, he favours a broad-based, multidisciplinary approach and, in recent years, has focused his attention on inter-organizational relations, the introduction of information technologies in the workplace, and the development of new products—three key aspects of collaborative and distributed technology projects.

As chairholder, he will endeavour to describe and understand emerging practices in the management of technology projects where a collaborative approach is being used and experts are working in a variety of different locations. His research will focus on project governance, technology infrastructure, competencies, and processes for introducing technology into organizations. His goal is to measure the impact of the above components on the success of projects. At the same time, it provides a unique opportunity to play a leading role in training highly qualified staff and in gaining exposure in and exerting an influence on the private sector.

Mario Bourgault, professor
Applied Mathematics and Industrial Engineering
(514) 340-4711 ext 5956
mario.bourgault@polymtl.ca