2004 IEEE Aerospace Conference Proceedings

Project Planning: Getting it Right the First Time

Jeffery Webster Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology Pasadena, California, USA 818-393-3269 Jeffery.N, Webster@jpl.nnsa.gov

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Abstruct-As the number of space flight projects being conducted concurrently at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has increased, so has the need for institutional support for the projects. One area of particular importance to Flight Project success is support during the early project planningiformulation phase. Numerous studies have identified front-end project planning as a key element of project success. This paper describes JPLs Project Formulation Support Team (PFST), which plays a central role in providing the institutional support tools and services for projects during their early formulation phases and ensure they get off to the right start. Finally, potential future trends in project formulation are discussed, including the increasing application of information networks to meet flight project needs, the effects of competition in the selection process for new flight projects, and the increasing use of multi-national flight project teams.

As the number of flight projects being planned and conducted by JPL increased, so did the need for institutional oversight and support to the projects. JPLs institutional management and support systems have expanded in response to the increased number of flight projects underway. JPLs institutional support systems continue to evolve as new and better tools and services are developed to manage and support the large number of concurrent fight projects underway at JPL. While the growing number of flight projects underway at JPL has created the need for more institutional support of many types, it is in the area of project planning that the need for improved support assumes particularly high importance. It is during the project planning process that decisions are made which have far-reaching effects on the flight projects ability to achieve successhlly its cost, schedule, and performance objectives.

TABLE CONTENTS OF
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INTRODUCTION PROJECT PLANNING: LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS THE PROJECT FORMULATION SUPPORT TEAM PFST ROLES, TOOLS, AND SERVICES CONCLUSIONS FUTURETRENDS REFERENCES BIOGRAPHY

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PROJECT PLANNING: LAYING THE FOUNDATION SUCCESS FOR

1. INTRODUCTION
In the past P L planned and conducted three to five large flight projects at the same time. During that time P L s institutional management and support systems provided oversight and support for the flight projects. However, during the 1990s, and continuing through the present, the number of flight projects being planned and conducted by JPL has increased dramatically. Over the last few years JPL been simultaneously planning and conducting 40 to 50 flight projects at a time.

Many fundamental characteristics of a flight project are established during the early formulation phase of the project, during which many project planning activities are implemented. For example, the Projects overall cost, schedule, and technical performance parameters are defmed; top-level requirements are established; critical constraints are identified; initial mission and system trade options are outlined, and their associated costs and benefits; and preliminary technology assessments and technology development and infusion requirements are made. The flight project planning process at JPL OCCINS mainly during Phase A, Advanced Studies, and Phase B, Mission and Systems Definition, as shown in the JPL Flight Project Life Cycle in Figure 1 below. The JPL project life cycle is contained in the pink field in the chart. The corresponding NASA project life cycle is shown in the blue field at the top of the chart, while the major project reviews and major project milestones events are shown in the yellow field.

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Life Cycle

Major JPL Reviews (Review

Cluster

Concept
Review
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Preliminary
Mission 8
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Project
PDR

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AI
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.

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Project Assembly, Operations Post Critical CDR Test8 8 Mission Launch Events Launch. Readiness A s s r n n t Readines Ooeration Reviews Review Review Readinesr O R R 8 PLAR CERRB Review MRR
ARR

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( 4 ) A PMSR io equivalent lo w h a t Code S refers to as a combined Mission Definition Review a n d S R R (5) For Earth Science MissionS. a P O R may be combined with a Mission Design Review , . ,(6)CERRs are established allhe discretion of Program Offices .. , ~. ... 011241200 . .

Figure 1: The JPL Project Life Cycle

AO ATLO CDR CERR Code S GPMC PDR SRR TMC

(NASA) Announcement of Opportunity Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations Critical Design Review Critical Event Readiness Review (NASA) Office of Space Science Governing ProgradProject Management Council Preliminary Design Review System Requirements Review Technical, Management, and Cost Review

Project Planning is U Key Element of Project Success

As noted in journal articles, engineering guides, and review reports, robust flight project planning is a key element of project success. Abbreviated or under funded Flight Project planning efforts often create the conditions for later problems, or even failures, in development projects and space missions. For example, an analysis by the NASA

Comptroller, cited in the NASA Systems Engineering Handbook, states, Overruns are very likely if (project) Phases A and B are under-f~nded.~ This is a frequently recurring theme. In the October 2003 publication of ASK Mqeuzine, the journal of NASAs
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NASA Systems Engineering Handbook, SPdlOS, June 1995, pp. 29.

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Academy of Program and Project Leadership, the first lesson learned cited in the article describes the criticality of project planning, as follows: The seed of problems are laid down early . . . review of most failed projects or of project problems indicates that the disasters were well planned to happen from the start.A In a report on cost growth on NASA missions, the United States General Accounting Office (GAO) cited insufficient definition studies as a reason for cost growth and schedule slips on NASA projects. The GAO report cited two internal NASA studies and comments by NASA officials which specified the need for thorough project definition studies, referred to in this paper as project planning. Recognizing the importance of project planning, JPL has dedicated significant resources to develop and deploy institutional tools and services to assist flight projects during their early planning stages. A partial list of the tools and services provided by various JFL institutional organizations includes: Project planning templates designed to help Projects meet institutional and sponsor requirements and adopt best practices; Dedicated Proposal Team rooms; Collaborative engineering facilities and technical expertise, for example JPLs well-known Team X advanced mission design facility; The Flight Hardware Logistics Program, which provides hardware from various sources for use by new projects; Project Configuration Management and Project Information Management tools and services; Launch ApprovaVLaunch Services tools and services; and Project Costing tools and services.

fluctuates over time as people rotate onto or off of the PFST in response to institutional and flight project priorities. Initialization o PFST Support for a Project f New flight projects entering Phase A are candidates for PFST support. The PFST Manager briefs the Proposal or Project Manager on the PFSTs role, and the tools and services which are available. Note that Project Managers are not required to use PFST goods or services; Project Managers decide whether, what, and how much PFST support their projects will use. This amngement maintains the Project Managers control of hisiher project and provides the Manager with maximum flexibility in how PFST resources are used by the project. In addition, this market-driven approach helps maintain the PFSTs focus on its intended role as a service-provider to its customers; JPL flight projects.

How the PFST Works

After the Project Manager decides what PFST support is needed, the PFST Manager assigns a member of the PFST to serve as the PFST Representative for that project. PFST project planning support can continue through the end of Phase C, hut support activities taper off as the projects planning efforts are completed in preparation for the projects Preliminary Design Review (PDR) at the end of Phase B. The PFST Representative assigned to the Project is responsible for coordinating all JPL institutional resources which can be used to help the flight project through the project formulation phase. These institutional resources include the Subject Matter Experts on the PFST, as well as many other non-PFST organizations at JPL such as technical experts from JPLs line organizations, the legal department, and the facilities management division. It is the PFST Representatives job to help the flight project define its project planning needs, and help identify and bring to bear the JPL resources available to meet the needs. Delivery Optionsf o r PFST Services PFST-provided tools and services are provided at no charge to the flight projects, as follows: Guidance and advice from PFST Subject Matter Experts on a consulting basis; Project Planning tools, such as the Planning Templates described above; Identification of institutional resources, such as the non-PFST Subject Matter Experts described above. When a flight project needs more in-depth or long-duration support from a PFST Subject Matter Expert, that person becomes a temporary member of the Project Team. Examples of such work include:

3. THEPROJECT FORMULATION SUPPORT TEAM

JPLs Project Formulation Support Team (PFST) is a key element of the Laboratorys institutional infrastructure which provides support to flight projects. The PFST, like several of the other JPL institutional support systems for flight projects listed above, is part of JPLs Project Support Ofice. The Project Support Office reports to the JPL Assistant Director for Flight Projects. At this time the PFST is comprised of 26 members, each with expertise in a discipline or subject area relevant to the Flight Project planning process. The number of members Jeny Madden, Lessons From the Dark Side, ASK Magazine, October 2003,3240. NASA PROGRAM COSTS: Space Missions Require Substantially More Funding Than Initially Estimated, United States General Accounting Office, pp. 2, 11, December 1992.

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Developing project requirements and requirements documentation; Writing major project planning documents; Developing project cost estimates, budgets, or schedules lmplementing project acquisition plans; Delivering Droiect hardware or software; and

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phase: tools and services. In addition to direct support of flight projects, the PFST also fills an important role in creating and maintaining JPLs institutional environment. Oversight of the PFST is provided by the PFST Manager, the Planning Ofice Manager, the JPL Assistant Director for Flight Projects, and the Project Engineering and Management Council. One of the first things a PFST Representative does is brief the Proiect Manager on the many sponsor and JPL

Developing or operating project information management systems!

PSFT Subject-Muller Experts

what specific products and service activities the PFST will provide and perform.
The JPL Institutional Project Formulation Process

The 26 PFST members presently include the following Subject Matter Experts: Project Management; Systems Engineering; Software Engineering; JPL sponsor requirements; JPL institutional requirements; Mission Assurance; Flight Hardware Logistics Program; JPL Flight Project Work Breakdown Structure Template; Project planning; Project resource planning; Project scheduling; Acquisition management; Launch approval; Launch services; Configuration Management; Project Information Systems Engineering; Project libraries & information management; Technology Development and Infusion; and Project team development and roles.

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Part of JPLs response to the need to provide institutional support and oversight to an increasing number of flight projects has been an expansion of the Laboratorys systems for oversight of flight projects. One of the more important is the system of r e v i m gates which control projects progression through the JPL Project Life-cycle phases illustrated in Figure 1 above. The JPL Projecl Life-cycle process requires that projects prepare and obtain approval of specific project plans before receiving authorization to proceed to the next life-cycle phase. The PFST provides support to projects in meeting the requirements for transition through the gates between Pre-Phase A, Phase A, Phase B, and Phase C of the JPL Project Life-cycle. For instance, the PFST provides templates and examples for the required project plans, as well as assistance in preparing the plans. The project planning documents required for these Life-cycle phases and gates are shown in Figure 2 below:

The PFST plans to add Subject Matter Experts for Technology Development and Insertion, and ProjectiMission Science in the near future. The PFST obtains assistance from other Subject Matter Experts at JPL as needed, either to assist a flight project or to create or upgrade one of the PFST institutional support tools.

4. PFST ROLES, TOOLS, AND SERVICES

The PFST provides two basic types of direct support for flight project planning efforts during project formulation Kevin Clark and Ken Van Amringe, Introduction to Project Formulation Support Team Products and Services, pp 5, August 8,2003.
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REQUIRED PROJECT PRODUCTS

PRE-PHASE A/A
C A T V

PHASE A/B GATE PHASE B/C GATE

I Formulation Products
Projcet Formulation Authorization Dacumcnt (FAD) or cquivalcnt (Projects somctimcs assist thc sponsor in wnting) Projcct lcvcl I rcquircmcnts, including mission EUCCCSS criteria

Ready to s i p
DmA Prcliminary

Scicncc payload National Enviramcntal Protcction Act (NEPA) compliancc documentation Formulation phasc support agrccmcnts with foroign partncrs lmplcmcntation phase Lcncrs of Agrccmcnt (LOAs) / Memorandums of Undcntandine (MOUs) with forcign partncrs

Prcliminary Final Sclcctcd

Approvcd Enviromcntal Assessmcnt Signcd Ncgotiatcd

I Ncgotintcd, rcady to I
DtaR

Task Plan (signcd)

Projcct Plan

Phase A

Prajcct lmplcmcntation Plan (PIP) Proicct intcpted lifccyclc nctwork schcdulcs

Systcm level

Phase B Preliminary mady to sign Sections listed bclow Prcliminary to

Phascs CID Final rcady to sign Final rcady to s i p Basclinc

Figure 2: JPL Project Life-qcle Gate Requirements Documents

PFST Tools

Task Plan; and Test Plan While Templates are not appropriate for all project planning activities, the application of Templates where appropriate can significantly reduce the time and expense, as well as improve the quality, of project planning activities. Other benefits include improved compliance with sponsor and JPL institutional requirements, and standardized project planning documents which enhance JPL institutional managements ability to review and approve flight project plans. The decision to develop and use templates is made on a case-by-case basis after consultations among the PFST Manager, cognizant SME, cognizant JPL line organization personnel, and the institutional Project Engineering Management Council.

The project planning tools provided or supported by the PFST consist mainly of tailorable Planning Templates for the project planning products required by JPL or its primary sponsor, NASA. In cases where Templates are not available, examples of project planning documents from past projects are also provided, as appropriate, for each project, to use as models. The following list shows the Planning Templates presently available for use by flight projects in project planning: Detailed Mission Requirements Document; JPL Design Principals Compliance Matrix; JPL Flight Project Practices Compliance Matrix, Project Plan; Project Implementation Plan; Project Work Breakdown Structure and Dictionary;
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Charles J. Leising, Project Plans and Activities During Formulation Phase, pp. 20, October 2003.

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PFST Services
The assigned PFST Representative and Subject Matter Expert(s) provides PFST services to projects. While providing support to the flight project, their roles are that of advisors to the Project; the Representative and Subject Matter Experts are not reviewers or overseers. When assigned to a project, they become members of the project management team and therefore act as agents of the project. PFST Representatives and Subject Matter Experts provide advice to the flight project on a variety of broad subjects, including: The overall JPL project planning process and nroducts: JPL sponsor and JPL institutional requirements; Identification of non-PFST institutional Subject Matter Experts who can address project planning needs in areas such as compliance with environmental laws, security requirements, or export control requirements.

The PFST also supports the development and maintenance of project review and status reporting systems used by JPL institutional managers to oversee flight project performance. Examples of institutional flight project status reporting requirements which the PFST supports includes Monthly Projecf Stafus Reviews, Quarterly Projecf Reviews, Independenf Project Review Boards, and Governing ProgradProject Management Coimcil reviews.

5. FUTURE TRENDS
Current trends in flight project design, development, and implementation will continue to impact the types and amounts of planning support the projects will need. Some of the prominent trends are discussed briefly in the following paragraphs. Competition: Use of competition to conceive and select new missions, such as those use by the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations New Frontiers, and Discovery programs, is likely to continue, and perhaps increase. This will be a source of continuing or increasing demand for flight proiect

I addition to directly supporting flight projects, the PFST n

also supports the JpL institutional important areas, including:

in several

Identification and flow-down of external requirements applicable to JPL projects; Review and comment on proposed new external requirements; Development and maintenance of JPLs institutional requirements; Training on institutional requirements, including identification and implementation of the requirements, and application of tools available to assist project implementation of requirements. Examples of key JPL institutional requirements developed and/or maintained by the PFST the JpL light Project Practices, the JPL Design Principals, and the JPL Flight Project Standard Work Breakdown Structure. Robert Aster, Hat Write-up for a Project Representative from the Project Formulation Support Team, pp. 2, October 6,2003.

information Flight projects increasingly use information networks in most aspects of their management and engineering functions, including project planning. Many of the institutionally provided project planning tools and services have been created, or at least greatly enhanced, through the use of information networks. For example, information networks have enabled the evolution of collaborative engineering activities from teleconferences to videoconferences, tu the integration of shared mission design engineering practiced by JPLs Team X.
Multi-national Partners:

h o t h e r changing aspect of flight implementation which has increased and will likely continue is the use of multi-national partners to plan and conduct space missions. MuIti-national missions place special requirements on flight projects that need to be factored into project plans kom the As discussed in the previous paragraph, flight projects increasingly use distributed information networks to enable ~. and enhance engineering and management activities, both locally and Over long distances. For projects with foreign partners, such information networks must comply with complex export-control regulations which dictate the conditions under which information can be shared with the

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projects non-US team members. Thus, the information network must be able to provide varying levels of access to project data, depending on each users status. This requirement should he defined early in order to avoid timeconsuming and expensive fixes later in the project.

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6. SUMMARY CONCLUS~ONS AND

Summary
JPL flight projects use of PFST-provided goods and services is increasing steadily over time, indicating that JPLs decision to increase institutional support to its flight projects is providing needed and useful goods and services. JPLs high rate of success in winning proposals for NASAs competed missions is another indicator of the benefits of JFLs investment in technical support infiastructure, including the PFST. The PFST has evolved to also serve as an effective vehicle for capturing corporate knowledge and best practices at JPL, and applying them to many flight projects and institutional activities.

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June 1995, pp. 29. Jerry Madden, Lessons From the Dark Side, ASK Magazine, October 2003, 32-40. NASA POGRAM COSTS: Space Missions Require Substantially More Funding Than Initially Estimated, United States General Accounting Office, pp. 2, 11, December 1992. Kevin Clark and Ken Van h i n g e , Introduction to Project Formulation Support Team Products and Services, pp. 5 , August 8,2003. ILeising, Project Plans and Activities During Charles .. Formulation Phase, pp. 20, October 2003. Robert Aster, Hat Write-up for a Project Representative from the Project Formulation Support Team, pp. 2, October 6,2003.

8. BIOCFUPHY
Jeffery Webster has a BA degree from the Pennsylvania State Univei-sity and an MA degreefiom the University of Southern California. Mr. Webster was a Senior Analyst for the U.S. General Accounting Of$ce f o r 21 years, and currently i a Staff Engineer in the Jet Propulsion s Laboratorys Mission and Systems Architecture Section. At JPL he is a member af the Project Formulation Support Team, and the Proposal Team f o r a mission to Venus. At the GAO Mr. Webster was responsible f o r planning and executing reviews of civilian and military space systems. and reporting the results to the US.Congress. Mr. Webster conducted reviews of numerous developmental and operational space programs, including most recently the space shuttle, space station. Cassini, X-33, and Mars programs. He also reviewed and reported on the National Aeronautics and Spore Administrations (NASA k technical ) and programmatic institutional j h c t i o n s including program and project management, mission assurance, quality assurance, aeronautic and space test facilities, information technology operations, and data management practices. Mr. Webster S work has been recognized by the GAO and JPL in numerous Meritorious Service. Outstanding Achievement, and nce

Conclusions
Several conclusions emerge fiom this discussion of the JPL PFST. First, the confluence of three trends established the need for increased institutional support for flight projects: a large increase in the number of JPL flight projects underway at the same time, a reduction in the size of flight project budgets which increased projects need for institutional support, and a growing realization in the aerospace industly that robust up-fiont planning is a key component of a projects ultimate success. Creation of the PFST was part of JPLs institutional response to these trends. Second, the ever-increasing focus on project cost control has in turn increased institutional managements need for systems and tools to provide meaningful insight into flight projects status and performance over the project life-cycle. The PFST plays a key role in the development and maintenance of such systems and tools at JPL. Third, the PFST is proving to he a good vehicle for identifying and capturing JPL institutional knowledge and hest practices. The PFSTs Subject Matter Experts are drawn from across the Laboratory and represent many different disciplines. They also represent many During weekly PFST organizational levels as well. meetings the Subject Matter Experts often discuss how best to help flight projects or institutional units meet goals or improve performance. Thus, the PFST provides means for both identifying and applying institutional knowledge and best practices.

awards, and by the US. Congress

The research described in this paper was camed out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
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7. REFERENCES
1.

NASA Systems Engineering Handbook (SP-610s)

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