I am at an interesting workshop on ‘managing for usability’ that has a focus on project management. See: http://www.oesc.ox.ac.uk/usability/pm/

The discussions brought out the growing importance of the project management role, particularly as the scale and scope of projects has grown through the development of collaborative networks. In the social sciences, for example, resources placed on project management can be viewed as a luxury, as it is not explicitly focused on the conduct of the research. However, without a serious commitment to adequately supporting the project management role, many collaborative projects would flounder. Can we change the image of project management within the social sciences, as well as within other disciplines?