8,088 research outputs found

    Program Management for Large Scale Engineering Programs

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    The goal of this whitepaper is to summarize the LAI research that applies to program management. The context of most of the research discussed in this whitepaper are large-scale engineering programs, particularly in the aerospace & defense sector. The main objective is to make a large number of LAI publications – around 120 – accessible to industry practitioners by grouping them along major program management activities. Our goal is to provide starting points for program managers, program management staff and system engineers to explore the knowledge accumulated by LAI and discover new thoughts and practical guidance for their everyday challenges. The whitepaper begins by introducing the challenges of programs in section 4, proceeds to define program management in section 5 and then gives an overview of existing program management frameworks in section 6. In section 7, we introduce a new program management framework that is tailored towards describing the early program management phases – up to the start of production. This framework is used in section 8 to summarize the relevant LAI research

    The application of system engineering methodologies in support of the lean enterprise transformation

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    Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design & Management Program, 2001.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 110-111).by David L. Cocuzzo and Brian W. Millard.S.M

    LAI Whitepaper Series: “Lean Product Development for Practitioners”: Program Management for Large Scale Engineering Programs

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    The whitepaper begins by introducing the challenges of programs in section 4, proceeds to define program management in section 5 and then gives an overview of existing program management frameworks in section 6. In section 7, we introduce a new program management framework that is tailored towards describing the early program management phases – up to the start of production. This framework is used in section 8 to summarize the relevant LAI research

    Quality Initiatives in the Air Force Development of Reusable Launch Vehicles

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    This thesis identifies useful tools and techniques available to aid the Air Force development of a reusable launch vehicle (RLV). These tools are identified by comparing traits found within the Lean Aerospace Initiative, Six Sigma and systems engineering. While identified specifically for the RLV effort, these tools and techniques will be of use to many development programs. Historical perspectives of both RLV development efforts within the Air Force and origins of modern quality teachings are provided to establish a common foundation of knowledge, upon which, further analysis can be conducted. This thesis, also, summarizes the current RLV effort within the Air Force and NASA. With the tool-set identified and the RLV effort enumerated, the tool-set and RLV effort are matched to determine the current level of integration. More importantly, the tools-set serves as the basis to form specific recommendations to aid the Air Force RLV effort

    Metrics Pilot Project for Military Avionics Sustainment: Experimental Design and Implementation Plan

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    This working paper outlines the design of an experiment, employing a pilot project, for identifying and validating new metrics for managing the US Air Force military avionics sustainment system. The paper also presents a plan for implementing the pilot project. The experimental design allows for the quantitifation of the effects of the new metrics, while controlling for the effects of other factors impacting the observed outcomes. Underlying the pilot project, and the proposed experimental design, are three main hypotheses derived from earlier research: (a) currently used metrics foster local optimization rather than system-wide optimization; (b) they do not allow measures of progress towards the achievement of system-wide goals and objectives, and, hence, do not allow visibility into the impact of depot maintenance on the warfighter; and (c) they are driving the “wrong behavior,” causing suboptimal decisions governing maintenance and repair priorities and practices and, as a result, undermining the efficiency and effectiveness of the sustainment system, despite the fact that the Air Force sustainment system has a dedicated and highly skilled workforce supporting the warfighter

    Developing a 21st Century Aerospace Workforce

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    White Paper Version 2Across the industry there are leaders at every level who are being challenged to think and act in new ways. The same is true for this commission. This can't be a "business as usual" review of the industry's status. As the first such government commission in this new century we are faced with a unique opportunity and a unique set of challenges. In this paper we provide analysis and recommendations on human capital issues that are simultaneously designed to be practical and visionary -- aimed to address root causes, not symptoms

    A lean safety review process for payloads on the International Space Station

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    Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design & Management Program, 2003.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-132).The International Space Station has the potential to serve as a unique test platform to enable technologies for a wide array of manned and unmanned NASA missions. In order to live up to its promise, the resources required to develop and fly an experiment on the Station must be commensurate with the scientific return that will be obtained. This thesis applies the set of tools and principles known collectively as Lean Engineering to the Payload Safety Review process, one of the activities that must be satisfied by payloads prior to flying. The goal of this study is to attempt to reduce the required resources needed to fly a payload on the Station. Using the MIT Lean Aerospace Initiative Transformation to Lean roadmap, three separate payload examples of increasing degree of complexity are analyzed. Value streams are derived, and estimates for duration and labor requirements are presented based on past experience and data obtained from various stakeholders. Opportunities for waste (muda) reduction are identified. In addition, a comparative analysis is presented where the Safety Review Process is contrasted to similar issues faced by industry over the last several decades as manufacturing processes were transformed in order to increase quality while simultaneously reducing cost. Insights from these analyses, supported by stakeholder data from payload developers and the NASA Payload Safety Review Panel, are used to suggest a redesign to improve the Safety Review process. Three specific recommendations are proposed: 1) Establishment of a group outside NASA that can provide experienced, design assistance to payload developers as an integral part of their design teams; 2) Empowerment of these integrated teams through elimination of the(cont.) monuments created by intermediary safety reviews conducted by organizations outside the control of the Payload Safety Review Panel; and 3) Preparation of a Safety Verification and Review Plan at the start of each development effort which would contain the schedule and content for all safety-related review activities and data submittals, and would pull these activities throughout the process only when necessary. The revised process reduces the number of discrete steps from a maximum of 27 to 10. Duration of the process and the amount of labor required to complete it are reduced by up to 60% and 20%, respectively. Cost savings on the order of $10 million/year, depending on the number and complexity of the payloads, are obtained.by Javier de Luis.S.M

    New Approaches in Reusable Booster System Life Cycle Cost Modeling

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    This paper presents the results of a 2012 life cycle cost (LCC) study of hybrid Reusable Booster Systems (RBS) conducted by NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The work included the creation of a new cost estimating model and an LCC analysis, building on past work where applicable, but emphasizing the integration of new approaches in life cycle cost estimation. Specifically, the inclusion of industry processes/practices and indirect costs were a new and significant part of the analysis. The focus of LCC estimation has traditionally been from the perspective of technology, design characteristics, and related factors such as reliability. Technology has informed the cost related support to decision makers interested in risk and budget insight. This traditional emphasis on technology occurs even though it is well established that complex aerospace systems costs are mostly about indirect costs, with likely only partial influence in these indirect costs being due to the more visible technology products. Organizational considerations, processes/practices, and indirect costs are traditionally derived ("wrapped") only by relationship to tangible product characteristics. This traditional approach works well as long as it is understood that no significant changes, and by relation no significant improvements, are being pursued in the area of either the government acquisition or industry?s indirect costs. In this sense then, most launch systems cost models ignore most costs. The alternative was implemented in this LCC study, whereby the approach considered technology and process/practices in balance, with as much detail for one as the other. This RBS LCC study has avoided point-designs, for now, instead emphasizing exploring the trade-space of potential technology advances joined with potential process/practice advances. Given the range of decisions, and all their combinations, it was necessary to create a model of the original model and use genetic algorithms to explore results. A strong business case occurs when viable paths are identified for an affordable up-front investment, and these paths can credibly achieve affordable, responsive operations, characterized by smaller direct touch labor efforts at the wing level from flight to flight. The results supporting this approach, its potential, and its conclusions are presented here
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