Chapter 12. The weekly thesis progress report

Key question addressed in this chapter: how to keep your supervisor informed of your progress?
Proper tracking of a project would appear to be a prerequisite for its potential success (Shenhar et al., 2002). Indeed, it is widely accepted that a rigorous project management process is essential. This involves carrying out two types of activities: 1) monitoring during the project to check that the original plan is being followed; 2) corrective or preventative measures to anticipate potential problems (PMI, 2017).
Doing a thesis is a project! As such, the monitoring process of a thesis is one of the critical success factors. Among the responsibilities of the doctoral student is to keep their thesis supervisor informed of the progress of their project (Romelaer and Kalika, 2016). While a report may seem appropriate for this, what should be its periodicity, substance and design? In this chapter, a tracking method is suggested using a Weekly Thesis Report (WTR) based on the principles of agile project management methods and neuroscience research.
As can be seen from the title of the report, a weekly reporting cycle is the best way to keep your thesis supervisor informed of your progress along the doctoral journey. This recommendation is backed up by research in neuroscience, which analyses the functioning of neuronal connections. The practice of an activity, whether it be a sport, artistic or learning activity, creates neuronal connections. Indeed, “regular” and “repetitive” practice creates strong connections between neurons…