Exploration of Project Management Activities and Skill Sets in Operations of a Large Research Infrastructure Facility.
Paper Title:
Exploration of Project Management Activities and Skill Sets in Operations of a Large Research Infrastructure Facility.
Abstract:
The PMI Body of Knowledge states that “Projects require project management activities and skill sets, while operations require business process management, operations management activities and skill sets.” Perhaps unintended, this seems to understate the value of project management and skills in operations. A case study of administrative business operations associated with a US Government-funded large research infrastructure facility was undertaken to examine this proposition. A systems-based assessment framework designed to assess the health and performance of administrative business components was used and applied to a large research infrastructure construction project, and later to its operations. Qualitative methods were used to compare and contrast the business systems framework the project management principals, and the results from the application the framework. The examination identified the points of intersections, deviations from expectations and reasons for these differences. The observable impacts were also documented. The comparison showed similarities with the project management principles and the assessment framework, and where there are deviations they are typically associated with the testing of specific regulations. The assessment results and anecdotal observations suggests that the facility operations are not consistently impeded where project management principals are not applied, though in certain areas the impacts are greater. The long-term impacts cannot be fully determined in this study. There are observable benefits to the use project management principles in the administrative business operations of a large research infrastructure facility. PMI assertion may be missing out highlight the benefit of applying project management principles to operations.
PMI Talent Triangle Skill: Strategic and Business Management
