A systematic project management approach is rarely used in collaborative research projects, since the traditional project management methods take insufficient account of the specifics of research projects, in particular for the formulation and development of the target system. In this master-thesis, methods for the formulation and the management of target systems in collaborative research projects are investigated and a design of the most appropriate identified methods is proposed. At first, features, characteristics and requirements of target formulation in the classic project management and in collaborative research projects are examined. Collaborative research projects are characterized by two meta-features, conflict potential and complexity, which lay down four requirements for the formulation and the management of target systems. Since the intensity of both meta-features is different during the project preparation and project implementation phase, methods are investigated separately for both phases. Prior to the submission of the application, where esp. the conflict potential has to be addressed, future search turns out as the most appropriate method under the large group methods. Thus, a design of the future search conference for the project target formulation in the project preparation phase is proposed, the applied tools are described and recommendations for its implementation are made. During the project implementation phase, the agile methodology Scrum provides the necessary framework to manage the complexity. Based on the Scrum principles and the analysis of an application example, a target management method for the project implementation phase is designed, the applied tools are described and recommendations for its implementation are made. Both proposed methods are consistent with the requirements for the formulation and the management of target systems in collaborative research projects as well as with numerous features, characteristics and requirements of target formulation and management in the classic project management.