Project management, organisation and communication highest priority for MAX IV beamline programme.
A total of 16 beamlines are funded to date, BioMAX, Hippie and NanoMAX are operational and receive regular users. Bloch and FinEstBeAMS are receiving first friendly users for commissioning. Balder and Veritas will receive first friendly users for commissioning early 2019.
We also have users at labs working without synchrotron light – the STM lab, MAXPEEM using the LEEM instrument and SPECIES using the APXPS endstation with another X-ray source.
From January 2017 to August 2018 more than 300 individual users did 450 visits at MAX IV.
However, there is a delay in delivering beamlines to users compared to the timelines in the funding applications. This has, and rightfully so, led to criticism from users and funders.
Through three separate reviews, internal and external, it has been clarified that the reason for the delay is deficiencies in project management, unclear decision paths and lack of clear communication.
The Board of MAX IV has presented an action plan to address these shortcomings. As a first step a project management office will be set up, staffed with experts in delivering complex projects such as the big beamline portfolio of MAX IV.