System Optimisation as a Driver for Effective Technical Project Management

About

Large research infrastructures are characterised by strong technical coupling between subsystems, long lifecycles, and early design decisions with significant cost and operational impact. Yet, they are often developed within matrix organisations where expert teams optimise subsystems independently, under the implicit assumption that local optimisation will lead to global optimality. In practice, this approach frequently results in sub-optimal system performance, late design iterations, and inefficient allocation of resources.

This talk illustrates how system-level optimisation can support and strengthen technical project management in large infrastructures. The method relies on integrating simplified analytical models of key subsystems into a global numerical optimisation framework, allowing cost-driven trade-offs (CAPEX and OPEX) and sensitivity analyses to be explored early in the design phase. Beyond identifying optimal design regions, such tools provide quantitative insight into the dominant system drivers and help prioritise engineering effort and resources.

The approach is illustrated through its application to the FCC-ee design studies, where system optimisation has proven instrumental in comparing design options, revealing hidden couplings, and supporting evidence-based decision-making. Finally, the talk discusses the organisational implications of adopting a system-level approach, highlighting the need for a technically strong central project function to complement expert teams and enable truly holistic project governance.

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