The Systems Engineer’s Role in Project Success

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The Systems Engineers Role in Project Success

J. H Rothenberg May 1, 2006
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Project Success

• Mission Success and Project Success are not the
  same
• Mission Success is measured by results against
  requirements and is a necessary but not
  sufficient ingredient for Project Success
• Project Success is measured by both reality and
  perceptions of the stakeholders that varies over
  the project lifecycle
• The project Systems Engineer is key to Mission
  Success and as such is a key partner with the
  Project Manager in enabling Project Success

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An Important Characteristic of a Successful
Project

• No Surprises

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Project Stakeholders

• Project Advocates
• NASA Administrator
• Program Executive
• Sponsoring HQ Directorate
• Science Community
• Prime Contractors
• Project Sponsors Oversight
• NASA Administrator
• Sponsoring HQ Directorate
• NASA Comptroller
• Office of Science Technology Policy (OSTP)
  Office of Management Budget(OMB)
• Congress
• Center Director Institutional Managers
• Project Execution
• Program Executive
• Center Director Institutional Managers

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Systems Engineering

• Systems Engineering
• an approach to engineering that emphasizes the
  scientific method and examination of all aspects
  of the engineering project
• Systems Engineering Product
• Ensuring within an acceptable risk level the
  delivery of a competitive cost and technically
  effective system to meet an objective
• Source Encarta Encyclopedia
• Source Anonymous - found on a discarded note
  pad in the GSFC Library

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Challenges to Mission Success

• Science risk
• Systems engineering leadership
• Requirements definition stability
• Programmatic resource constraints
• Enabling technology maturity
• Project mission complexity/risks
• System integration complexity
• System resources margins

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Risks

• Opportunity for risks to be introduces occur at
  every stage of a program but many are built-in
  during the early stages of a program
• Science measurement risk
• Schedule driven development decisions and before
  requirements are solidified
• Technical complexity of the mission
• Design choices and margins
• Technology maturity assumptions
• Analysis, test and operations program designed to
  meet budgets
• Optimistic schedule and cost projections required
  to sell the program
• Development cost and schedule Risk
• Residual Mission Success risks at launch
• Risks are all viewed differently by each
  stakeholder and their risk tolerance changes over
  a projects life cycle

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Characteristics of Project Success

• Mission Success
• No surprises
• Cost growth funding without major impact to other
  programs
• Leave a Project legacy in approach/ technology/
  programmatic success
• No surprises
• Mission Success

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Challenges to Project Success
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Typical Challenges as Viewed by a Project Manager

• Project Formulation Sell phase
• Attract staff for Study Team
• Concept design - Innovative
• Mission design Affordable low risk
• Make/buy decision
• Design Phase Meet requirements manage risk
  within shrinking margins
• System design More affordable prudent risk
  management plan
• Phase C/D Budget Allocation Reallocation of
  resources survival phase
• Reduced capability, margins risk reduction
  plans
• Budget cuts
• Reduced margins risk reduction plans
• Navigate development challenges control
  expectations
• Reduced margins risk reduction plans
• Absorb budget cuts and cost growth

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Management Tools
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Systems Engineering Opportunities to Enhance
Probability of Project Success

• Provide proactive technical leadership
• Mission Design and System Requirements Trades
• Leading the prioritization and controlling of
  requirements
• Identify and ensure stakeholder recognition
  inherent residual risk at launch and options for
  mitigation
• System architecture and interface choices
• Build in options and decision points for descope
• System Design and Analysis
• Use cost as design parameter
• System Risk Mitigation and Management Plans
• Recognize and appropriately plan programmatic and
  mission risk mitigation and management
• System and Operations Development Technical
  Management
• Ensure stakeholder recognition of risks resulting
  from external environment changes
• ConOps operations design to safe, reliable and
  cost effective mission operations

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Management Tools to Enable Probability of Project
Success

• Make stakeholders a partner through open and
  frequent upward communications of baseline and
  changes
• Mission requirements commitments
• Technical and programmatic risks and mitigation
  plans
• Resource requirements including reserves and
  technical resources margins
• Buy-in to Project unique challenges and residual
  risks
• Descope options with key decision points
• Impact of externally imposed changes
• Residual risks at launch

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Management Tools to Enable Probability of Project
Success

• Routine open upward and downward communications
  supportive to reporting problems/impacts at all
  levels
• Informational/ trends/ problems solutions
  in-work/need for management actions
• - Weekly Top Ten - informational for all
  stakeholders
• Monthly - resources commitments/margins
• Routine informational visits to stakeholders
  open invitation to attend reviews
• Build trust and a partnership with all
  stakeholders
• Ensure appropriate external independent reviews

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Mission and Project Success

• Requires the Project Manager and Systems Engineer
  to
• Understand the external and internal environment
  at all times
• Take lead in baseline and control of requirements
  
• Establish realistic baseline, key descope
  opportunities/decision points and make
  stakeholders a partner
• Maintain open communications
• Anticipate outcomes and control stakeholder
  expectations No surprises
• Independent review used appropriately are OK and
  should be viewed as both an oversight and
  communications channel
• Active management - use runway before you
• No Surprises