Lhc Specific Success in the Iinitiation Phase V3 0

What  Went Wrong and / Or Well in Initiation Phase of LHC Project

In the “Success or Failure” section of this paper, we created a project success evaluating criteria to point out that LHC project was a success.  Look into tasks/process that were performed very well in the context of “Initiation Phase” of Project Management, this team found that CERN performed “Need Analysis” and “Stakeholder analysis and management” very well.  Also looking into tasks/, again, in the context of “Initiation Phase” of project management, this team found that CERN did not perform well in the area of “Risk analysis and management” i.e. Risk analysis was not comprehensive to address many facet of a project this magnitude.  To elaborate these three points, first we will look into CERN’s need analysis and show how this assisted CERN to clearly define the project’s objective and how this contributed to selection LHC project in alignment with CERN’s strategy. Next we will attempt to elaborate CERN’s stakeholder analysis and management and how this also helped CERN not only to convince its key stakeholders (CERN’s European member states) to approve LHC project but also to bring other none member countries on board who played significant role in financial and technical contribution.  Finally we will look into the lack of comprehensive risk analysis and management for LHC project and how this contributed to cost overrun and delay in project delivery.

Our success criteria in Table 1 above shows, LHC project earned a scoring of 71 % which was deem as successful. One of the factors which contributed to the success of this project was CERN’s “Need Analysis” that was well done in the context of “Initiation Phase” of this project.  Key benefit of performing need analysis were creation of a “blueprint” for LHC project which further contributed to define the LHC’s objective clearly and assisting CERN to select the LHC project in alignment with CERN’s strategy.  

         Current outlooks on Project Management practice and theory (also advocated by PMI (Project Management Institute)), tends to weigh heavily that project selection should be aligned with organization’s strategy.  Project selection in alignment with the Organization’s strategy is considered a good recipe for project success.   In fact, project management is considered an implementation or a means to achieve the strategy of the organization1.  It should be noted that CERN’s strategy at the time was to be a leading institution for Particle Physics.  CERN’s commitment to achieve its strategy is seen in its successful completion of three projects previously: ISR (Intersecting Storage Rings) the world first Hadron collider completed in 1971; SPS (Super Proton Synchrotron) protons, antiprotons, electrons and positrons accelerator completed 1976; and LEP (Large Electron–Positron Collider) completed 1989.