Ensuring compliance and consistency in an R&D environment: The PPPL Office of Project Management

The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) Office of Project Management (PMO) is responsible for oversight, coordination, and implementation of all project management processes. Per DOE Order 413.3B, the PMO will ensure the proper and standardized management of projects within the organization according to the Project Management System Description (PMSD) and Engineering (ENG) procedures. The PPPL PMO provides oversight functions for the physics research, engineering, R&D, operations, and facility projects. This oversight is provided through Work Planning, Design Verification, Cost and Schedule review, and Project Status review. A team consisting of a Cognizant individual, Planning and Control Officer, and Responsible Line Manager pilots jobs and projects through the procedure process and oversight functions to accomplish work. For capital projects, a Project Manager will oversee a team of Cognizant individuals according to a Work Breakdown Structure system. For smaller jobs, the Cognizant individual will serve as the Project Manager. PPPL jobs are often R&D and prototypes due to the research environment. The identification of technical, cost, schedule and ES&H risks early in the project life cycle is imperative to avoid limitations and mitigate these risks. Another key function of the PMO is to manage resource conflicts and prioritize work through the use of the monthly Project Status Review Board (PSRB). Staff training is also provided by the PMO and is critical to the success of the project management function across the organization. During the past year, the PMO effort has been focused on assessing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT), improving procedures, mapping the work flow process, and training job and project staff for improved performance. Extensive input to the PMO from stakeholders through audit findings, report recommendations, and departmental review has also been incorporated. The PMO continues to support a Maj- - or Item of Equipment (MIE) upgrade project on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) and is supporting preparation for Earned Value Management System (EVMS) certification later this year.