Managing research and development projects is often non-linear and unpredictable. Traditional project management tools like tickets and Kanban lists are excellent for short-term tracking but can fall short for long-term innovation projects. Subpixel explores how concepts from Git version control can inspire more effective R&D project management.
Key Git Concepts Applied to R&D
- Tickets and Short-Term Tracking – Use ticketing systems for immediate tasks, but visualize the project as a Git tree to understand the bigger picture.
- Branches for Different Topics – Each research topic can be managed as a separate branch, allowing experimentation without disrupting other streams.
- Dead-Ends Are Not Failures – Ideas that seem unproductive in one branch may provide breakthroughs in another. Features like Git merge or cherry-pick can be adapted conceptually for combining insights across topics.
- Other Tasks and Optimization – Encourage time investment in optimization and supportive tasks, with a reward system that tracks improvements alongside core research efforts.
Benchmarking and Insights
Linking the Git-like project structure to benchmarks helps track which approaches work best, identify bottlenecks, and increase overall team efficiency. Understanding which branches contribute to successful outcomes can guide future innovation cycles.
Business Benefits
- Better R&D visibility and progress tracking
- Optimized resource allocation across multiple research streams
- Faster evaluation of ideas and prototypes
- Increased innovation potential by encouraging exploration without risk of losing progress
Conclusion
R&D projects share many similarities with Git workflows. By adopting principles such as branching, tracking dead-ends, and benchmarking, teams can enhance productivity and streamline innovation processes.
Want to improve your R&D project management using modern, Git-inspired approaches?
Contact us at info@subpixel.hr to explore how Subpixel can help optimize your innovation workflows.
