Project Initiation Explained: PMBOK® ITTOs with Real-World Examples

What can large-scale scientific infrastructure projects teach us about project management? In this session, Dr. Tania Claudio Weber (JCNS-ESS PMO, Forschungszentrum Jülich) shares practical lessons learned from managing complex international projects for the European Spallation Source (ESS) and other research infrastructures. This presentation covers the fundamentals of **Project Initiation and Planning**, combining PMBOK® principles with real-world examples from ESS, HBS, and the T-REX instrument project. 🔹 Topics covered: 00:00 Introduction & Previous Topics 03:10 Course Overview 03:50 The New PMBOK® 06:63 What is Project Initiation? 08:08 ITTOs Explained 09:38 The Importance of Expert Judgment 10:08 Comparison of Expert Judgement with ‪@DoctorMike‬ 's Chest Compressions 11:02 Expert Judgement: HBS Organization and Management Case Study 14:50 ITTOs: Outputs of Project Initiation 15:20 Project Charter Fundamentals 16:52 Project Canvas 18:54 Wedding Project Canvas Example 22:38 SWOT Analysis 27:10 Assumption Log 29:03 SMART Objectives 30:32 Question: Who is the Owner of an Assumption 32:22 Stakeholder Identification 33:04 Stakeholder Identification ITTOs 34:32 Stakeholder Mapping & Power/Interest Grid 37:10 Stakeholder Register 39:04 Stakeholder Involvement 40:14 Project Initiation Outcomes 42:13 ESS: How did Everything Start? 51:41 T-REX: How did Everything Start? 56:00 ESS Stakeholders 58:30 The Importance of Planning 01:02:13 Requirements Elicitation and Analysis ITTOs 01:04:10 Defining Project Scope ITTOs and T-REX Example 01:04:40 Developing a Scope Structure (WBS) 01:13:22 Homework Assignment 01:14:30 Next Steps & Closing Remarks 01:14:42 Input from Fabíola about her Experiences Managing Projects 01:24:10 Picture Credits Using examples ranging from cutting-edge neutron science facilities to wedding planning, the presentation demonstrates how project management principles can be applied across industries and scales. 🎯 Who should watch? Project Managers Scientists and Engineers Research Infrastructure Professionals Students of Project Management PMO Professionals Anyone interested in managing complex international collaborations 📚 Key Takeaway: Successful projects start long before execution. Strong initiation, stakeholder engagement, expert judgment, clear scope definition, and disciplined planning provide the foundation for delivering ambitious scientific facilities and research programs. Video by Jenö Gellinek, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH @FZJuelichDeResearch #ProjectManagement #PMBOK #ESS #ResearchInfrastructure #ScienceManagement #PMO #StakeholderManagement #ProjectPlanning #RiskManagement #ForschungszentrumJuelich #JCNS #EngineeringProjects #Leadership #InnovationManagement #ProjectCharter #WBS #ScientificCollaboration #BigScience #EuropeanSpallationSource #LessonsLearned