Newman.steve

Going Out in Style

End-of-Program Risk Management

Case Study available on the ESMD ICE server at https://ice.exploration.nasa.gov/ice/binary/com.epicentric.contentmanagement.servlet.ContentDeliveryServlet/km/Case%20Studies/Titan%20IV.pdf

Steve Newman

ESMD Knowledge Capture & Transfer

Support TeamARES Corporation

Ed Rodgers

GSFC Chief Knowledge Officer

Learning Objectives• Gain perspective on Human Capital (HC)

management challenges associated with transition

• Acquire insight into program manager options to maintain capability and safety

• Understand transition issues confronting critical-skill workers

• Use “Big Brain” techniques to develop solutions

• Develop an understanding of potential HC risk management control and mitigation approaches

Case Study Timeline• PowerPoint review of case (10 min)• Divide into groups of 5-8 (max)• Assign Risk to each group (#1, #2,or #3)• Small group table discussion (15 min)– Structured Brainstorming– Fishbone Capture

• Report-out and facilitated large group discussion (15 min)

• Distribution of the case / discussion of Titan IV mitigation approaches (10 min)

Case Background -1EELV Program• In 1994 DoD began planning for the Evolved Expendable Launch

Vehicle (EELV) Program as a means to make government space launches more affordable and reliable, replacing most if not all existing “legacy” boosters (e.g. Delta II, Atlas II/Centaur, Titan IV, etc.).

• Plans called for standardized fairings, liquid core vehicles, upper stages, and solid rockets.

• Initial contracts were awarded in 1998 for development of two launch systems, Delta IV and Atlas V.

Titan IV Failures Shortly after the Titan Retirement announcement in 1998, the Program encountered a series of rocket failures.• On August 12, 1998 during the final flight of the Titan IV-A, the rocket

exploded 42 seconds after liftoff. It was carrying a National Reconnaissance Office satellite.

• Then in April 1999 the Titan IV-B experienced two catastrophic failures within three weeks of each other. The first failure was on April 9, 1999 and the second followed on April 30, 1999

Case Background -2Failure Review Board Findings Board determined that the failures were a result of multiple causes including: • equipment design, engineering, and program

management problems within both LM and the Department of Defense.

The Panel also determined that a contributing cause to the failure was:• a lack of focus due to the program retirement and

shifted attention to the Atlas V and Delta IV Program development.

• The Panel concluded that the loss of critical skills to other programs could lead future failures.

Risks are borne by management seeking to “fly-out the program” successfully in the high consequence, intrinsically difficult space systems operational environment. Successful risk management will accomplish the goal of maintaining workforce capability and attention to detail until the end of the program.

Maintaining workforce focus in safety critical processes requires addressing the workers long-term concerns about future employment. Risks are borne at a personal (and family) level by workers concerned with paying the mortgage or finding tuition for a child in college.

Successful risk management will consist of ensuring long-term employment and/or employability in a down economy. Thus, the risk management goals of the manager and worker must align. For management to succeed in managing risk they must enable the critical skill worker to “get to Yes” – I have a good control and mitigation plan and I will accept the risk of staying with the program.

Risk Mgmt Challenge

RISK -1

Mission Managers Risk Statement

If I lose my critical skill workforce I may not be able to successfully fly-out the last mission

Develop Control and Mitigation Plan……..

RISK-2

Mission Managers Risk Statement

If my workforce loses focus I may have a quality or safety issue and lose one of the last missions.

Develop Control and Mitigation Plan …

RISK-3“Next” Space System Project Manager Risk Statement

If I can’t find the necessary skill mix on-hand within the organization I may face schedule risks in initiating the “Next” Space System project

Develop Control and Mitigation Plan …

High Impact 3-Round Brainstorming Approach

• Structured Brainstorming Round-1

• Unstructured Brainstorming Round-2

• Structured Brainstorming wrap-up round

Capture Ideas on Fishbone Chart(also use to out-brief)

• Blank Fishbone (flip chart paper)

• Magic Markers

What The T4 Program

Actually Did to Control & Mitigate Risk

T4 Risk Mitigation Strategy Elements-1Mission Success Accrual Account (MSAA)• For every six months that the program had 100% mission success, the Mission Success Accrual Account

(MSAA) would be funded• Funded by a Congressional line item• Eligible employees for the MSAA included any employee who work at least 51% of their time on the Titan

Program• Employee job assignments were tied to a specific program milestone (e.g. a last need date) and when the

milestone was completed, the employee received payment for all of the accruals in their account Titan Launch Success Award (TLSA)• After a successful launch the program would promptly award employees with the Titan Launch Success

Award, which was approximately $200• Eligible employees included any employee who worked at least 51% of their time on the Titan Program

Critical Skill Inventory• Key critical skills were identified during the strategic planning for fly-out• Management asked questions such as “Who, by name, must I have to successfully fly-out the program?”

and “Who can I train to succeed them?” • Those individuals identified as critical personnel (approximately 10% of the workforce) were eligible to

receive a layoff benefit of 26 weeks (10 weeks more than standard company policy, which was 16 weeks) in the event of a layoff before the fly-out was completed

T4 Risk Mitigation Strategy Elements-2

Work Share Program• If an employee was approved, they were allowed to be shared with another

program• An employee was eligible to work up to 49% of their time on another program.• The work share program enabled employees to avoid layoffs after Titan fly-out by

gaining experience for a follow on position.

Additional Measures• Job placement• Skills training• Resume writing assistance • Aggressive Communication

Program morale was maintained by continuous communication through employee feedback opportunities, all-hands meetings, and other communication efforts all oriented to emphasize and reaffirm the importance of employee contributions necessary to accomplish a successful Fly-Out

Key T4 Success Factors

START EARLY: Implement retention programs and incentives as early as possible COMMUNICATE: Aggressively communicate with the workforce CREATE NEAR TERM STABILITY: Create financial incentives for successfully accomplishing work in the near term CREATE LONG-TERM OPPORTUNITY: Create stability in the near term and providing options and support for transition in the long term. FUND APPROPRIATELY: Consider special appropriation funding for both employee retention incentive programs as well as long-term training