Agile Project Management, Creating Innovative Products, Research Paper Example

There are multiple facets of a research project and each section has its own pitfalls and potential challenges. While researching a project it is best to limit the amount of potential input outside catalysts have on the research project unless they naturally are needed to produce the results (Schmidt, 2009).  Preconceived notions and opinions should be eliminated from the research structure.The theories of inductive or creating a theory from multiple observations and deductive or following a theory down to multiple observations can help make sense of multiple points into a single point of clarity. With any research design there are specific methodologies to the specific designs as well as challenges faced by that particular research. There are many challenges to research methodology; each area has their own benefits and pitfalls. Research procedures come in different forms designed to particularly respond to particular study-requirements. For different reasons of studying a particular issue, there also exist different measures of research procedures designed to create complex conditions that would test the variables involve, thus creating stronger conclusions that are able to provide what the researchers are specifically looking for (PMI, 2008). One particular form of research approach is that of the correlational research. Correlational research is specifically described as the overall measurement of all the variables involved in a particular study. Their measurement shall impose on how much they impact the development of the issue being tackled. To be able to see what particular variable is able to comprehend to the required results, the researcher shall make each variable react with another in a cross-sectional manner hence weighing the importance of one against that of the other.

To further show how a correlational study affects specific expertise in the field of architecture and development, a focus on how the said approach of research shall be better identified in the discussion that follows. Researchers Whyte and Kim shall be compared as to how they utilize the correlational study-design in coming up with a more complex presentation on what urban plaza should have to better improve functionality and efficiency for the society that it is supposed to serve. Approaching the topic in two particular procedures of correlational study, these researchers’ competency in their field shall be better identified herein.

Correlational research intends to utilize all the necessary variables needed to create a more extensive presentation of results out from the data that have been collected for a particular study. In this aspect of measuring the worth of the data collected, correlational study intends to utilize each variable in comparison with the others hence taking note of the value that one variable has against the other [serving a particular elimination approach]. As for the issue considered, the value of the people against that of the value of the plaza shall be better measured. In this regard, it could be noted that the existence of human influence in the process of finding out what makes a good plaza the best place for the people to stay in plays a great role in determining the primary factors contributing the practical functionality of urban plazas. The study being situated in New York, the life lead by people in the city should also be given attention to. Given that city-life has its own expectations; people living in it are also expected to have some specific demands especially when it comes to meeting their levels of satisfaction.

Observational-This is the study of groups as a whole to view the entire aspect of the observational unit.  These types of studies are normally qualitative in nature. This could be a study of a sub-culture in southern Africa to learn their way of life or it could be a study on how cultures acclimate into other cultures in a macro level.

Correlational-This is the study of two or more covariant.  An example of this would be the correlation between wearing the proper running shoes and foot pain or the study of how long commutes to work impact mood.

True Experimentation-This experimentation most closely associated to laboratory experimentation. This type of research is taking different aspects and manipulating them together or separately and recording their results.

Quasi-Experimentation-These are very similar to True Experiments.  These groups are using the studies of naturally formed groups.  If you were to randomly select a group of people some are naturally formed into the same group such as gender or age.  This type of study would be used to study groups that are naturally formed (Highsmith and Highsmith, 2010).

There are multiple ways to sway the result of research.  By avoiding some of the common challenges and issues with research there is a great possibility of eliminating error and biased judgment.Some challenges include:

• Multiple Tools
• Using Pre-Existing Information
• Making assumptions
• Dynamic inputs used as static inputs

These challenges should be addressed and monitored so that they do not negatively impact the appropriate/unbiased results.There are some inherent limitations to observation based research and the design of that research.  Certain problems and circumstances are influenced by their environment and could be impacted by the personal influence of those creating the research project.  It is important to take a not partisan and unbiased approach to the research methodology.  The overall research project must remain in focus and not only on the detection of the result.The Scenario based observations should not be so focused that sight is lost on the overall inputs into the end results.  Since the research is establishing the research project they may inadvertently influence the result.Personal experience or prior research may influence the interpretation of the results and the results should be documented as they are presented and not as they are interpreted.Preconceived information may impact the results of the experiment.  Our own experience may subconsciously lead our results toward an end state that may or may not reflect the actual results.

If the experimentation or research was done previously it may or may not have the same results depending on the assumptions and other environmental factors.Just because a research project was completely in the past it does not mean that the same inputs were used to create the same response.The personal experience of those performing the research project may impact the results by allowing the actions taken previously to impact the potential results.Also, while completing a research project, the notion about what the research presumes will happen could sway the results.  It is best to go into a research project and let the results speak for themselves.When preparing a research project there are certain assumptions that you must document so that you can help reign in the possibilities and outcomes of the project.  You also want to document the assumptions so that you can understand what assumptions were made and therefore adjust them in the future to help learn more about how the inputs impact the outputs of the research project.There are certain pitfalls when documenting assumptions.  The first is documenting the wrong assumptions.  An example of documenting the wrong assumptions includes addressing aspects that have no impact on the research at hand.  Assumptions should reflect the research underway and the environment impacting the inputs, outputs and results.

Misusing assumptions can occur when we have a preconceived notion about what an environmental impact may have on our experiment.  By allowing our presumptions on an assumption we may inherently impact the results of the research.This is in line with over assuming some aspects of the experiment.  By placing too much emphasis on certain aspects of the experiment we may over assume correlation to results when in fact it may have little or no impact to the results occurring.When researching, there needs to be as many static inputs into the research equation as possible.  When driving toward a result the less amount of changing variables will help determine what the end result is.The fewer amounts of uncertainty and flux in the inputs of the research project allow the resulting output to be known and why it has the result.Dynamic inputs have the inherent ability to change.  These changes could force the research into different outcomes depending on how critical the catalysts are that change.It is important to know which inputs are dynamic and which are static (Kaufmann and Desbazielle, 1969).  Dynamic inputs should be limited and noted and never mistaken for static inputs.Static inputs are stable and should be seen as inputs that do not need to be monitored as closely as the dynamic and fragile aspects of the research project.If the assumptions are not documented and controlled, inputs not monitored and the information persuaded by personal judgment the results are in jeopardy and would not be repeatable.A research project needs to investigate how a system, environment or reaction interact without the interference or input from an outside system.  By viewing the environment without interaction will allow the research to remain untainted and produce the best results.  With the wrong assumptions the entire research project could fall like a house of cards.

References

Highsmith, J. A., & Highsmith, J. (2010). Agile project management, creating innovative products. Addison-Wesley Professional.

Kaufmann, A., &Desbazielle, G. (1969). Critical path method. New York, NY: Gordon and Breach Science Publishers.

Project Management Institute, P. M. (2008). A guide to the project management body of knowledge. (4th ed.). Newtown Square: Project Management Inst.

Schmidt, T. (2009). Strategic project management made simple. (1 ed.). Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.