Quote:
Originally Posted by astroron
This happens quite a lot on very big science and commercial projects in the states,probably elsewhere as well I guess?.
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It's too easy for showstopping design flaws to manifest. It believe it depends on 2 things: Whether the project has 1 contractor or multiples, and whether the staff involved perform this as their sole occupation, or rotate between multiple projects.
One company (with specialised departments), focussing on one project - there's little excuse beyond surprises thrown up by the rigours of pioneering science. Hypothesize, design, build, test, fail, repeat, etc. Excluding disasters, of course.
Multiple contractors are when things get fun. Without attentive (or, dare I say, brutal) project management, nobody has any real leverage over anyone else. People do stupid things in their own percieved "vacuum", and problems snowball. Nobody takes responsibility if their part dowsn't dovetail with that of someone elses. Often, companies or individuals care little for the overall product - only their component in total isolation.
Most of the larger projects I've been involved in ($30 Mil building, for example), have been attended to by people who had a full time job already. These "advisory committees", were plagued with people not returning with completed tasks set at the last meeting. Conflicting opinions and values, with no leverage of one faction over the other led to stalemates. In the end, the tax paying public suffers.
I'm sure we've all seen this somewhere. Pity something as beautiful (and from our point of view, noble?) as the JWST is possibly suffering from some of the above?
From my experience, I've learnt to NEVER leave any technical decision making to administration. "Off tools" technical staff going into admin, sure - not career pen pushers. Not meaning to upset anyone of course.
