scope:

Description of Driving Event:

The Project was required to develop and deliver a major scientific instrument. However, the team was predominately made up by a small group of research scientists and engineers such that most of their planning and management experience had been gained while working on academic type activities in which the main deliverables were data and research publications. While several members did have experience with other instruments, including a similar one used on a previous project, they had never developed an instrument of the required size nor had they developed anything requiring FAA flight certification. Thus there were significant knowledge gaps that were not addressed during the Project's formulation and implementation phases. The situation was made worse since none of the Project personnel had any formal training or experience in risk management and did not have adequate Center support/oversight to aid the risk reduction process. The original proposal identified major technical risks and described corresponding risk mitigation plans. However, the project did not develop a formal Risk Management Plan (RMP) or a process to identify their risks and corresponding mitigation philosophies.

As a result, the Project operated in a reactionary mode rather than a strategic one and was cancelled after it became clear it was not going to meet its programmatic requirements within a reasonably enlarged budget.