Illustration: Louiza Karageorgiou for GIJN
Guide
GIJN Guide to Project Management in Investigative Journalism
Many of today’s most significant issues, including climate change, corruption and human rights abuses, have a global impact. Collaborative journalism makes it easier to report on issues that affect us all, no matter where they occur. By joining forces, journalists can extend their reach and ensure that important stories get the global attention they deserve. And working together on a project is a great way to develop a range of resources, from open databases to sharing methodologies and expanding networks. To collaborate, journalists of all kinds work together on a project.
However, organizing these collaborative projects comes with its own challenges. While there are numerous playbooks, articles and books on how to conduct collaborative journalism from an investigative journalist’s perspective, there is less guidance on how to manage the non-investigative aspects of these collaborations. Who is responsible for overseeing these tasks, and what exactly does that role entail? While most of the existing literature focuses on the journalistic aspects of collaboration, this guide focuses on the non-journalistic aspects.
The comprehensive guide, organized into seven chapters, also includes tips and tools, extra reading material, templates, and other links for more information.
This guide was authored by Coco Gubbels and was edited by Nikolia Apostolou, Alexa van Sickle, and Reed Richardson. Original Illustrations are by Louiza Karageorgiou.
Chapters
Chapter Guide Resource
Project Management: Collaborative Journalism
Chapter One of GIJN’s seven-chapter guide focusing on the non-journalistic aspects of project management in collaborative or cross-border journalism.
Chapter Guide Resource
Project Management: Team Dynamics and Collaboration
In this chapter, we discuss how a project manager can monitor, guide, handle team dynamics, and ensure the group is best positioned to focus on its primary mission: collaborating on an investigation.
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Project Management: Planning and Timelines
In this chapter, we discuss how the project manager helps the investigative team focus on the goals and scope of the project, set the direction, and define the boundaries of the reporting.
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Project Management: Budgeting and Resource Management
In this chapter, we cover how to administer a project budget and manage the money to cover travel, accommodation, tools and technology, legal support, payment of freelancers, and any other expenses.
Chapter Guide Resource
Project Management: Technology and Tools
In this chapter, we discuss how tools for communication and cooperation are indispensable for collaborative journalism and cover some commonly used tools in investigative projects.
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Project Management: Risk Management and Security
In this chapter, we cover how smart risk management can prevent unpleasant and even life-threatening situations when collaborating on an investigation, not only for sources and the team, even the publisher.
Chapter Guide Resource
Project Management: Evaluation and Post-Project Analysis
In this chapter, we discuss project evaluation and post-project analysis, where project managers assess the success of the investigation, learn from challenges, and apply those lessons going forward.