Project plan and kickoff meeting (MSc)

The project plan is your first serious deliverable. At IEM, it typically contains the first three thesis chapters: introduction, context analysis, and literature review. It must define a clear problem, a defensible scope, and an executable plan.

Once the project plan has been approved, we arrange a kickoff meeting with the supervisory team (supervisor, examiner, and company supervisor). Present the problem framing, scope, and evaluation direction so you can incorporate feedback before the greenlight phase.

To prepare for this meeting, create a presentation that covers the key points of your project plan:

1. Introduction: Introduce the company (briefly) and the problem you aim to address. Explain why this problem is important and how your study will contribute to the field.
2. Research question: Define the core problem your research will address. Make the question specific, concrete, and focused.
3. Context Analysis: Provide a diagnosis of the context in which the problem exists. Support your analysis with relevant data, visuals, and examples to illustrate the significance of the issue.
4. Literature review: Summarize the most relevant work in a literature table. Identify similarities, differences, and gaps that justify your study. Consider PRISMA-style reporting for a systematic review.
5. Project Plan: Outline the timeline and milestones for your research project. Include a Gantt chart that visualizes the planning and progress of your work. You can also hint at the methodology and experimental design.

For structure expectations, see Report Sections (Project Plan).