Project Coordination Experience at large scale Research Facilities at PSI

About

The Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Switzerland has implemented two major large-scale projects in recent years—SwissFEL and SLS 2.0—and has now launched a third with the IMPACT Project. These initiatives share a common project management structure with a Project Manager, a Project Office and several Sub-Project Leaders for specific machine systems. As these projects have grown in complexity, we have identified an increased need for personnel with strong engineering backgrounds and substantial planning expertise to bridge the gap between the upper management level (Project Manager, Management Board, etc.) and the specialized technical groups performing the work. The Project Coordination team has taken on this role by managing daily on-site activities, assessing feasibility and proposed changes, developing detailed schedules and facilitating communication across diverse stakeholder groups Our approach to scheduling and technical coordination is based on a bottom-up setup of schedules in close collaboration with all expert groups. Regular coordination meetings ensure that all stakeholders are aligned on tasks, interfaces, and the scope of shutdown phases. Dedicated meetings for updates on planning progress, logistics preparation and challenges, and technical issue resolution further help maintain transparency and momentum. During execution, weekly shutdown meetings with expert teams enable continuous monitoring and control, allowing us to realign resources or reschedule work packages when necessary. Parallel discussions with the project management team support the forecasting process and the definition of mitigation strategies when deviations arise. From SwissFEL, SLS 2.0, and now IMPACT, several lessons have proven crucial: thorough planning pays off; mock-ups and pre-assembly significantly reduce uncertainties during installation; and detailed logistics, space, and waste management concepts enhance execution efficiency. With the increasing number of large-scale…