DH Project Management Workshop
On June 17, 2026, we were excited to host a workshop on the fundamentals of DH project management, led by Julia Flanders and Caitlin Pollock. Julia and Caitlin provided best practices for project managers of DH projects. They highlighted how project management is as much a social endeavour as it is professional.
The workshop began with a round of introductions and discussion of the different digital projects in the room, including the sunsetting of The Scope. Julia and Caitlin then each provided their own definition of project management: as the management of both tasks and people, but also as a research and pedagogical practice that requires ethical and critical consideration, as well as significant labor and time.
They identified the hallmarks of good project management as continuity, good scoping, stability, and a healthy project ecology, which they then defined. Continuity refers to consistent, reliable work processes, with no gaps or lost information. Good scoping means that a project plan is consistent with the project’s resources, as well as having clear milestones and roles. A stable project is one that does not suffer avoidable upheavals or crises. For them, a healthy project ecology includes good morale, empowered participation, organizational memory, and healthy management of change, productivity, and intellectual engagement.
In terms of staffing and training, Julia and Caitlin considered how to construct conversations so employees feel empowered and invested in following the procedures. They noted how event “grunt work” becomes more interesting when you can demonstrate how it contributes to the wider mission of the project. Being able to articulate the meaning behind tasks is essential for morale. They also emphasized the importance of clear and detailed documentation. Documentation is not just writing everything down, but rather writing things down in a way that team members can easily access it and use it.
They concluded the workshop with a “tool rodeo,” where Caitlin demonstrated a variety of different tools for project management, including Trello, Notion, and Google Docs. She noted how these tools have varying degrees of sophistication. The big takeaway with tool selection is that the best tool is the one that will actually be used by you and your team. It does not matter how beautiful a Trello board looks if no one actually uses it. The event was well attended and ended with a lively discussion. If you are interested in learning more about DH practice, the CDS and DSG hosts regular DH workshops which can be found on the CDS Events page.