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How to find outside project support

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(@lei-hao)
Posts: 35
Eminent Member
Topic starter
 

Sometimes the project team needs some extra support which might not be available within the team.These support could be information, technique or financial support. In this situation, how could the team get support from outside sources?

 
Posted : 10/04/2022 8:24 pm
(@anthonynjit)
Posts: 78
Trusted Member
 

In my experience, LinkedIn is a popular place for businesses and people to consult on projects. There are numerous consulting services, courses and people that will post that they are offering to help with really any stage of the project. Additionally, most companies, if the deal is beneficial, would accept a partner to help complete a large scale and profitable project. This eases the work load on everyone while still bringing in substantial revenue. Other than that, word of mouth is still a large contributor in how contracts and information is shared among businesses and its workers. Finding like minded people to discuss your work situation would be ideal.

 
Posted : 10/04/2022 8:48 pm
(@srp98)
Posts: 78
Trusted Member
 

This does put the team and company in a rather awkward position because reaching out to an external source whether it be for information or financial support could make the company look like they are not managing their resources correctly or taking on more than they can chew. However, if support from an external source is necessary, it would be best to tackle this issue by having the team pinpoint exactly what is needed, whether it's information or financial support. After figuring out what is needed, research should be conducted on target companies that are appropriate to fill the needs of that company. After coming into contact with the appropriate company, an MCA should be set in place and a meeting should be held to present to the possible stakeholders what the current project looks like, the future of this project and what exactly is needed from the external company. 

 
Posted : 10/04/2022 9:50 pm
(@ma818)
Posts: 28
Eminent Member
 

@srp98 I completely agree with your response. This is evident with smaller companies that bring in less revenue than others. After a meeting is set up between the two companies, a clear understanding of requirements and timeframes/deadlines should be established, thus enhancing or smoothening the external aid process.  This could benefit both the internal and external companies as the internal company can now move forward with the project, while the external company may profit by providing its services. 

 
Posted : 10/04/2022 10:12 pm
(@devdesai)
Posts: 79
Trusted Member
 

The primary source for additional support would most likely be the team manager or the lead. Depending on what resource is required, they can then request for additional funds or for another employee to consult on the project. If the project is important to the company then they will be willing to assist in acquiring additional funds or help for the project.

 
Posted : 10/04/2022 10:45 pm
(@jal58)
Posts: 60
Trusted Member
 

The most common method to fill project team spots is to pull from other internal teams within the company. Most companies will have teams dedicated to certain functions. These resources can be pulled into the project to support. 

Sometimes there might not be enough people available to support the project. Sometimes a specific expertise might be needed. The most common method for external support would be hiring contractors. Contractors can be individuals or entire companies dedicated to a certain task. In this week's simulation 3, the samples were submitted to external laboratories for cytotoxicity testing. Some companies may have the ability to do that testing in-house. Some companies will have to look for external help.

 

 
Posted : 10/04/2022 11:08 pm
(@ahmadfarhan)
Posts: 32
Eminent Member
 

Many companies that you may purchase equipment from usually have a sales specialist that is specialized in the equipment or item you are purchasing. This specialist usually are people who have worked in the industry previously in development roles and know about the subject matter that the product falls into. Furthermore, you can always hire a consultant to help you with a project for a limited amount of time, though the cost tend to be high depending on the specialization and years of experience.

 
Posted : 10/04/2022 11:28 pm
(@mmodi)
Posts: 81
Trusted Member
 

For students who are interested in translating their fundamental research to the marketplace and forming a startup there are several grants you can apply for such as the National Science Foundation Innovation-Corps (NSF I-Corps) grants or Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants which you can apply for which not only help fund research and development but more importantly provide funds to explore the potential commercialization of a product. For individuals who are further along in research and development, they may look into joining an incubator or accelerator which can provide the resources needed (including supplies, funds, and team members) to further develop your product and business model canvas. For business ventures that only require funding, angel investors and venture capitalists who are interested in your product could provide some money but not without some equity in your business or a contract outlining return on investment/interest rates. There are also freelancers or niche companies who can provide tailored help along the way, whether it is with development, marketing, or regulation, at a negotiated price.

 
Posted : 10/04/2022 11:41 pm
(@reginabarias)
Posts: 65
Trusted Member
 

@anthonynjit 

I can agree with Anthony, on how using Linked in gave opportunity to be added onto a project for “additional resources”. I think this method helped a lot as an undergraduate since it gave a lot of opportunity to gain experience but along it helped the company get their projects done much quicker/efficiently. Yes it did cost them more using an external resource in advertising/time/hiring additional help but they were able to meet their end goal. In my personal experience as well, using the Linkedin Method, these companies had asked if I was not interested in this position to help, if I knew anybody else qualified. They had added this response at the end of my application which did help on their behalf because I was able To reference someone else I knew to help along in this project. 

 

Using other methods, I’ve also had experience where I was thee intern, and the company changed my intern role to help on project, although it was a small role, they were able to mold me to learn more and gain hands on experience with clinical lab research. They utilized the companies current members, and seeing where someone else’s role could be changed slightly, and then used to finish a project more efficiently. 

 
Posted : 18/04/2022 1:44 am
(@gg382)
Posts: 45
Trusted Member
 

If a project team needs additional support that is not available within the team, there are several ways to obtain support from outside sources. Here are some suggestions:

Reach out to subject matter experts.

Seek guidance from professional organizations.

Network with other project teams.

Consult with consultants or contractors.

Or even maybe apply for grants or funding

 
Posted : 15/02/2023 1:50 pm
(@ag2265)
Posts: 70
Trusted Member
 

This is an interesting question as most people would not be open to seeking for help as they think that they can figure it out themselves. Several responses above have spoken about anecdotal experiences in industry, but personally I have only had experience with working in an academic research lab where asking for help is a little different. Personally, I have had troubles with certain assays and protocols and I have reached out to a wide variety of resources that were able to help me solve the issues. First and foremost would be to troubleshoot the issue by referencing the manual of the reagents, equipment, etc. If the problem still persists then I would reach out to the company that the item is from and ask them about the issues you may be facing. In my personal experience tech support for companies such as Thermofisher, Biorad, Abcam have been extremely helpful. One can also reach out to more experienced individuals in the lab whether they be post docs, PhD students, or even the PI of the lab as they would have the most experience. If none of these options work then one can conduct a literature search to see what other similar researchers have done to get results. And if all else fails then you can reach out to another research team conducting similar research to you and ask them for advice. All these options goes to show that regardless of industry or academia there is a hierarchy that one can follow in order to solve any problem that they may face, it just matters on how you use your resources.

 
Posted : 20/02/2023 12:26 am
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