A practical guide through the complete Clinical Research Project lifecycle and key Management Skills in small bytes.
These posts walk you through each stage primarily from a CRO perspective with Pharma insights where processes differ. You'll find real experiences from 25 years in the field, templates you can adapt, brain-based strategies to reduce chances of burnout, and AI prompts that actually can help you.
Where project management methodology meets neuroscience and practical AI application.
Featured Articles
The "Work Smarter" Myth Cracked (3/18): Cognitive Load Theory
You're working constantly but accomplishing nothing. You re-read emails because you don't remember the details. You interrupt one task to handle another, then forget where you were. You know you have information "somewhere" but can't find it. You think "I need to remember to..." dozens of times a day.
This isn't a productivity problem. It's a cognitive load problem.
Your brain's working memory can only hold 4-7 pieces of information simultaneously. When you're trying to remember 15 open actions, 40 site contacts, budget calculations, timeline dependencies, and three draft emails—all at once—your system crashes. Understanding cognitive load theory explains why you feel overwhelmed even when you're highly capable. More importantly, it reveals exactly what to do about it.
The "Work Smarter" Myth Cracked (2/18): Reticular Activating System (RAS)
Your brain processes 11 million bits of information per second but only 40 reach your conscious awareness. The Reticular Activating System (RAS) decides what gets through—and most overwhelmed PMs have accidentally programmed theirs to notice every potential problem, every email notification, every possible risk.
This is why you're exhausted, reactive, and missing strategic opportunities that are right in front of you.
Empowered PMs deliberately programme their RAS to notice early warning signals, strategic partnership opportunities, and what Sponsors actually care about. This isn't positive thinking—it's neuroscience. When you intentionally set your brain's filter system, you transform from vendor executing tasks to strategic partner spotting opportunities.
This post reveals the five-step protocol to reprogram your RAS, complete with AI-powered tools and a real transformation story that demonstrates why pattern recognition is the skill that separates good PMs from exceptional ones.