Rotation Perspectives Insights and Lessons Learned

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Rotation Perspectives Insights and Lessons
Learned

• December 2, 2009

2
Panel Participants

• Craig Dinsmore of JSC's Engineering Directorate,
  served a one-year rotation to Headquarters'
  Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation's
  Strategic Investments Division
• Sophia LeCour of the International Space Station
  Program, served as assistant to the director for
  JSC Director Mike Coats, then rotated to
  Headquarters' Office of External Relations
• Matt Lemke of the Constellation Program, rotated
  to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in support of
  the Mars Science Laboratory as part of his Space
  Systems Engineering Development Program experience

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Mr. Dinsmore Goes Went to Washington
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The Work..

• PAE Program Analysis and Evaluation (in the
  Office of the Administrator)
• Responsible for
• Providing programmatic studies and analysis
• Cost analysis
• Program cost and schedule performance evaluation
• Independent program assessment for the agency
• Assembly of the NASA budget
• The organization has high-level insight into
  everything that NASA is doing.

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The Work..

• I was in the Strategic Investments Division
• SID analyses the technical, cost and schedule
  performance of NASA programs and prepares
  decision packages for NASA management.
• Assembles the NASA Strategic Plan
• Assembles the Budget
• Negotiates and Communicates NASA program
  performance goals with the Administration and
  Congress

6
The Work..

• Who I got to work with
• Mission Directorates (SMD, ESMD, SOMD and ARMD)
• Office of the Chief Engineer
• Chief Financial Officer
• Government Accountability Office (GAO-Congress)
• Office of Management and Budget (White House)
• Some really smart people..

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The Work..

• Mostly performed analysis on Science Mission
  Directorate projects. (Did you know that NASA
  does things other than human space flight?)
• In NASAs budget, we commit to the Congress, (the
  American people) what we are going to accomplish
  for the money that we are given.
• Determined how well we adhere to our project cost
  and milestone schedule commitments
• What we report internally to ourselves
• What we report to Congress and the OMB
• How we perform against the Integrated Budget and
  Performance Document (IBPD)

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The Work..

• Performed Space Station Program Threats vs.
  Reserves analysis.
• Helped to define reporting requirements and key
  decision point milestone definitions for NASA
  Project and Program Milestones per 7120.5D
• Helped to define policy for project re-baselining
• Helped Acquisition Policy Team

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The Work..
10
The Work..
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The Work..

• The best thing about the job
• What we worked on was presented directly to NASA
  leadership and we were actually there when
  decisions were being made based on the analysis
  and presentations that we provided!

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Living in Washington DC
So much to do.. so little time..
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Benefits of the Rotation..

• A better understanding of why Headquarters does
  what they do and how and where many of our
  actions and policies originate
• Appreciation for the complexity of NASAs
  mission, programs, projects and processes and how
  they are balanced within the boundaries of the
  budget and the political climate
• Opportunity to meet and work with a few of the
  really good people who work at Headquarters
• Realization that work is done at Headquarters
  much the same way that it is here, by smart
  people sitting in rooms and making the best
  decisions that they can with the information that
  they have.
• An opportunity to live and work in a city that
  makes you feel like you are part of something big

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LeCours 10 Months Adventure Through Two Rotations

• Sophia LeCour

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Rotations

• 6-month rotation as assistant to the JSC Center
  Director
• 4-month rotation at NASA HQ Office of External
  Relations (OER)

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Duties as Assistant to the JSC Center Director

• Shadowed the center director and other members of
  the center director's office
• Provided support by working with the center
  director staff to ensure the director is properly
  briefed on upcoming meetings, events and courtesy
  visits
• Served as liaison for the center director's
  office on advisory groups and fact-finding
  activities
• Assisted in planning, coordinating, scheduling
  and logistics of travel for the center director
• Traveled with the Center Director with the
  exception of Strategic Management Council (SMC)
  and Program Management Council (PMC).
• Worked with the chief of staff to maintain the
  center director's daily schedule and a long-range
  planning calendar for the director's suite
• Considered a member of the Directors Staff. I
  had access to the Directors Reading File,
  official correspondence from NASA HQ, and other
  internal documents.

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Lessons Learned

• There is a BIG world out there
• Most interesting learning experience of my NASA
  career.
• Learned about JSC, the Programs and the Agency
• Take note of the leadership and management styles
  of the CD and other meeting attendees
• Need to expand my knowledge outside my technical
  area acquire tools for my tool bag
• Importance of Inclusion Innovation (II)
• Keep everything in proper perspective big
  picture

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NASA HQ Office of External Relations (OER)
Rotation

• The mission of the Office of External Relations
  (OER) is to provide executive leadership and
  coordination for all NASA international
  activities and partnerships and for policy
  interactions between NASA and other U.S.
  Executive Branch offices and agencies.
• OER serves as the principal Agency liaison with
  the National Security Council, the Office of
  Science and Technology Policy, the Department of
  State, and the Department of Defense.
• OER also directs NASAs international relations
  negotiates cooperative and reimbursable
  agreements with foreign space partners provides
  management oversight and staff support of NASAs
  advisory committees, commissions and panels
  manages the NASA Export Control Program and
  foreign travel by NASA employees and manages the
  NASA History Division.

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Sophias Activities at OER

• At the request of Mr. Gerstenmaier, worked with
  Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental
  Affairs on the Questions For the Record (QFRs) by
  performing a consistency cross-check on the
  answers.
• Supported the STS-124 Guest Op activity
• NASA Point of Contact for the International
  Astronautical Federation (IAF) Special Symposium
• Supported the Multilateral Coordination Board
  (MCB) and Heads of Agency (HOA) meetings
• Attended the Center for Strategic International
  Studies Space Launch after the Shuttle Event
• Attended the Commerce, Science, and
  Transportation, Senate Subcommittee on Space,
  Aeronautics and Related Sciences (Chairman Bill
  Nelson)
• Attended a week long Congressional Operational
  Seminar
• Participated and volunteered at the Smithsonian
  Folklife Festival
• Attended three embassy events

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Lessons Learned

• There is a REALLY BIG world out there
• Quote from Glynn Lunney HQ is a different
  planet
• HQ operates differently from JSC
• It was difficult for a short term detailee to get
  a real assignment due to HQs rigid culture
• Due to HQ environment and DC surroundings,
  bureaucracy is prevalent
• Information is power might be the nature of
  just being inside of the beltway
• Have a better understanding how HQ operates
• Expanded my network and enhanced working
  relationship (e.g., Legislative
  Intergovernmental Affairs, mission directorates)

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Systems Engineering Leadership Development
Program (SELDP)Jet Propulsion LaboratoryMars
Science Laboratory

• Highlights Thoughts
• Matt Lemke

May contain Caltech/JPL proprietary information
and be subject to U.S. Government Export Laws
U.S. recipient is responsible for compliance with
all applicable U.S. export regulations.
Pre-Decisional For Planning and Discussion
Purposes Only.
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Project Overview
Science Focus on Past Present Habitability of
Mars Highly Capable Analytical Laboratory Next
Generation Remote Sensing Contact
Investigations Suite of Environmental Monitoring
Instruments
Technical Capabilities One Mars Year surface
operational lifetime (669 sols/687
days) Discovery Responsive over wide range of
latitudes and altitudes Precision Landing via
Guided Entry Skycrane Propulsive Landing Long
Distance Traverse Capability (20 km) Flexible
Robust Sample Acquisition Processing
May contain Caltech/JPL proprietary information
and be subject to U.S. Government Export Laws
U.S. recipient is responsible for compliance with
all applicable U.S. export regulations.
Pre-Decisional For Planning and Discussion
Purposes Only.
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MSL Spacecraft Major Elements
Cruise Stage
Backshell Interface Plate (BIP) Parachute Support
Structure (PSS)
4.5m x 3.5m
Backshell
Parachute
Descent Stage
Bridle Umbilical Device
Rover
Separations Pyros
Heatshield with MEDLI
May contain Caltech/JPL proprietary information
and be subject to U.S. Government Export Laws
U.S. recipient is responsible for compliance with
all applicable U.S. export regulations.
Pre-Decisional For Planning and Discussion
Purposes Only.
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Entry Configuration
L
Backshell Interface Plate (BIP)
D
BACKSHELL
Vent (x2)
HEATSHIELD
RTG Access Door
V
?
Cruise Balance Mass and Separation Mechanisms (x2)
g
May contain Caltech/JPL proprietary information
and be subject to U.S. Government Export Laws
U.S. recipient is responsible for compliance with
all applicable U.S. export regulations.
Pre-Decisional For Planning and Discussion
Purposes Only.
25
Sky Crane / Flyaway Configuration
Skycrane Configuration
Flyaway Configuration
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May contain Caltech/JPL proprietary information
and be subject to U.S. Government Export Laws
U.S. recipient is responsible for compliance with
all applicable U.S. export regulations.
Pre-Decisional For Planning and Discussion
Purposes Only.
27
Stacked Spacecraft in Cruise STV
Stacked Spacecraft in Acoustic Chamber
May contain Caltech/JPL proprietary information
and be subject to U.S. Government Export Laws
U.S. recipient is responsible for compliance with
all applicable U.S. export regulations.
Pre-Decisional For Planning and Discussion
Purposes Only.
28
Underside of Cruise Stage
May contain Caltech/JPL proprietary information
and be subject to U.S. Government Export Laws
U.S. recipient is responsible for compliance with
all applicable U.S. export regulations.
Pre-Decisional For Planning and Discussion
Purposes Only.
29
Descent/Rover Stage
May contain Caltech/JPL proprietary information
and be subject to U.S. Government Export Laws
U.S. recipient is responsible for compliance with
all applicable U.S. export regulations.
Pre-Decisional For Planning and Discussion
Purposes Only.
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SELDP Rotation

• Rough Start to my rotation
• Days after starting the project slips to the next
  launch window
• Project becomes focused on re-planning and
  reducing staff from 750 to 300 in six weeks
• My sponsor/mentor was one of the first casualties
• No time for me
• Had to create my own position when I returned
  from Christmas
• Way out of my comfort zone great leadership
  learning experience
• Tasks
• Managed the technical issues list for the chief
  engineer
• Gave me access to all lead engineers and a seat
  at the table when issues were being discussed
• Participated on the fault protection red team
  (tiger team)
• Avionics and software re-architected to meet
  failure tolerance requirements and testability
  issues
• Facilitated the review of system design documents
• Design is an SE function, engineers are just
  implementers
• First significant exposure outside of the world
  of avionics
• vehicle level and beyond considerations

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Observations

• Risk was a part of every discussion
• SMA integrated into team
• Projects job was to ensure mission was
  successful
• SMAs job was to ensure mission didnt fail
• Fly like you test
• Testing program constraints drove how the vehicle
  was operated
• Test like you Fly
• Exceptions taken very seriously, reviewed at
  every TRR and major review
• No blanket exceptions
• Life testing and testing beyond qualification
• Reserve Management

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Observations (cont)

• Very quick to write Problem Reports
• Must find root cause and be able to duplicate a
  problem before a fix is put in place
• Focus is on the problem and the solution not
  the paperwork
• Requires CogE, line management, project
  management, SMA to close PFR
• Institutionalized rules for project design,
  management, reserves, etc
• Project goes to center management for waivers to
  the rules
• Not a big deal but bring a sound technical
  story
• True Matrix organization
• PM wouldnt think of making a decision until they
  knew line management agreed with the technical
  approach and risks
• Upper Management very visible
• Lots of all hands
• Attendance at working meetings
• Line management switches with project management
  frequently

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Observations (cont)

• What a difference a shared vision can make
• Laser focus on successful mission
• Everyone fully committed to the outcome
• Confrontational meetings beer afterwards
• Cross cutting SE and Phase Leads
• Value of technical interchange meetings
• Optimizing across system boundaries
• My view of this was limited operations can play
  a big role

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Q A