Optimization Analysis for Design and Planning of Multi-Project Programs

Program Management concerns the long-term planning, coordination, and control of major technological, engineering, scientific, and/or developmental activities. In general, programs tend to be exceptionally large, consisting of several parallel or sequential projects or groups of projects. While many of the approaches developed for projects have been used in program management, there are critical differences between programs and projects. A key difference is the magnitude of programs, both in program duration and number of tasks to be coordinated. In addition, project parameters are driven by program decisions. While a large number of modeling efforts have focused at the project level, very - little optimization literature deals directly with aspects of initial program design and development. This thesis effort looks at the application of optimization techniques to the initial design and development of multi-project programs. The classic work breakdown structure is used as a framework for Dantzig-Wolfe Decomposition to provide an aggregate model for investigating the effects of funding levels, resource allocation, and program durations