GENI: Managing the Unmanageable: Recommendations for Structuring and Governing Complex, Dynamic, and Distributed Projects

University Of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Abstract

This Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) proposes to identify specific management practices that are appropriate for projects that are highly uncertain, complex, and distributed. GENI (Global Environment for Network Innovations) is an example of such a project. GENI is an ambitious, ground-breaking initiative of the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE). The goal of GENI is to enable the research community to design and build a better Internet by inventing and demonstrating the networks and architectures of the future. Unlike many other large NSF projects, GENI contains a significant software component, this characteristic contributes enormously to its risk and complexity as software projects are often prone to mismanagement and failure. The GENI project presents a rare opportunity to identify and study project management practices for high risk projects. Knowledge gained from this research will advance project management practices across disciplines, including information systems, computer science, and engineering. The findings from this research will advance an understanding of the management of large, distributed projects within NSF and across many intellectual disciplines. Moreover, findings from this research can be directly incorporated into teaching materials, for example, into the curricula of project management courses, since the findings will have direct implications for the practice of project management. Further, by discovering management practices that can enhance the possibility of successfully managing GENI, this research has the potential to positively impact many stakeholders.