Analysis of the situation and current trends in the management of construction projects at Los Alamos National Laboratory

摘要

At Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) there is a more to switch from reliance on rules to an expanded reliance on market forces, as evidenced by the facilities recharge program. This paper moves beyond the market/rule debate to argue that new approaches to project management are required. Managers at all levels in the LANL face contending demands as they are caught between immediate concerns and long term consequences, keeping track of the big picture and looking after the details. Management techniques appropriate for simple certain projects will be of limited value on complex uncertain projects built on tight schedules--no matter how market and rules are balanced in the larger organization. Thus the degree of complexity, uncertainty, and duration, should shape the choice of project management approaches. Single dimension simple buzz word solutions will do little good and may cause harm. This report reviews current situation and efforts underway to improve performance are reviewed. These efforts are shown to be useful but incomplete as significant improvement will both require altering and expanding how managers and the management system respond to contending demands.