This post is a comment under the post "How long will he last?". I am moving it here in the hopes that ULM (or their intelligence) see it and are reminded of the problem.
I thought it sums up the fundamental problem of LLNL
--- scooby --
You have raised a very significant question regarding the success of outside managers.
In my 30 years at the Lab, many of which were spent in WFO programs, I am not sure that I have seen any. On the other hand, I have seen numerous failures.
The underlying problem is that LLNL is not structured for WFO success. Part of the problem is internal, part is due to the DOE bureaucracy. The Lab is basically a weapons design lab. It is the best in the world in that mission, but that mission is dying.
If the Lab is ever to be successful in the WFO arena, we need to overhaul DOE or move the Lab out of that management. We cannot devote hundreds of millions of dollars to nonsense bureaucracy--IWSs, AB, etc. When we had a real enemy, political pressures keep the DOE bureaucrats at bay. Barring a true national emergency, we will never again be able to gain our previous status.
I thought it sums up the fundamental problem of LLNL
--- scooby --
You have raised a very significant question regarding the success of outside managers.
In my 30 years at the Lab, many of which were spent in WFO programs, I am not sure that I have seen any. On the other hand, I have seen numerous failures.
The underlying problem is that LLNL is not structured for WFO success. Part of the problem is internal, part is due to the DOE bureaucracy. The Lab is basically a weapons design lab. It is the best in the world in that mission, but that mission is dying.
If the Lab is ever to be successful in the WFO arena, we need to overhaul DOE or move the Lab out of that management. We cannot devote hundreds of millions of dollars to nonsense bureaucracy--IWSs, AB, etc. When we had a real enemy, political pressures keep the DOE bureaucrats at bay. Barring a true national emergency, we will never again be able to gain our previous status.
Comments
The sad part is that ULM seems completely clueless about this, but I don't think NNSA is. I think they have an evil plan to make LLNL so expensive and tied up in red tape that they have to close the place and give all the work to beltway contractors that say "how high" when they say "jump".
This used to drive me crazy, until I started taking it as a challenge. Each day I arrive at LLNL ready to take on NNSA and ULM's latest nutty plan to try and prevent us all from from working. Its like a new and unpredictable puzzle, and then I try to overcome or work around it(legally). So far I am still getting work done. In fact it is my new motto: "Annoy NNSA: accomplish work".
The Department of Energy needs to focus on energy. There are so many issues there to address; having DOE focus on other areas just detracts from its real mission.
Chu needs to work with Congress to restructure his Department and get many of his incompetent, wasteful bureaucrats out pounding the pavement looking for new jobs.