Technical organization required new ideas for upcoming product designs but did not have an Innovation process that integrated and encompassed customer QFD requirements and sensitivity analysis. Organization lacked ability to create an accurate functional mapping of the existing product to understand product deficiencies and "harmful effects" of current system architecture.

Designed and piloted a two-day TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) innovation workshop, which utilized customer QFD inputs and functional decomposition of existing system. Workshop was funded by Research and Development funding captured to support training, allowing training credit hours to be provided to the workshop participants

A series of ten one- to two-day workshops were conducted over a five-year timeframe, allowing new innovations and intellectual property to be created, which met program needs for problem solutions and patentable new product ideas.

TRIZ workshop was determined responsible for production of 100-150 general usage ideas previously known but not implemented per session. The innovation process developed was responsible for 2-3 new areas of knowledge management and typically 4-5 new patentable ideas were produced. Nontraditional funding was secured to serve a dual purpose, providing a program/training win-win scenario.

No instrument was in place for program teams to identify which tasks should be worked in what order. Organization was approaching all events as "Issues" and utilizing all available resources to resolve them without recognition of interconnection to typical program problems or predecessor logic.

Designed a web-based input instrument that separated "Issues" from problems and concerns. Analytically balanced the input grading against Risk Management grading criteria while establishing baseline sensitizes from the customer based on Quality Functional Deployment (QFD) requirements.

Allows a common task identification of all program activities. Provided common operational definitions and guidance for Issues vs. Problems. Established input method for unquantifiable "Concerns." Eliminated conflict between groups who were "blame-storming" Issues against each other.

Provided more balanced resource allocation of "Problem Solvers" rather than Issue "Firefighters."

Program data and information resided on a "share drive" that originated as the receptacle for valid program data. Over years of usage, inappropriate and redundant data and data without owners resided on share drive taking up more disk space than available on program server.

Data Management tool was developed and integrated into program data structure. All groups assigned a Knowledge Manager responsible for team data on the share drive and in the new location in the Data Management System. Data Migration Team assigned to help create program-specific structure for the team’s data and train all users in new Data Management tool. All data was migrated from the share drive into the Data Management Systems.

Twelve months from start of transition effort, all data has been migrated into a Data Management System and provided to other team members through a series of structured permissions. A virtual team environment has been established that allows data sharing among any team members anywhere in the world. All program data and information is located in a safe, secure location that has data-restorative capabilities.

Program rules and guidelines have been established for data and information on the program, allowing guidance for all types of data and media. The vulnerabilities of the share drive environment have been eliminated.

New program startup required the ability to create, select, evaluate, store, retrieve, evolve, present accurately and facilitate "Information" in all its forms, including text, still and moving images, sound, and numeric data, and to offer practical solutions to support dynamic program needs.

Reviewed major industry and premiere business schools’ MIS programs to determine appropriate program content. Conducted program gap analysis to determine current organizational deficiencies. Designed and implemented a full MIS program to support the organization. Restructured many un-captured skill areas into a formal organizational structure.

Knowledge managers and content owners are now structured in an MIS architecture and framework, which allows data mining and global accessibility to information that was previously limited.

Program members now have a safe, secure and shareable data environment that has the ability for knowledge management.

Over 200 pieces of "Flight" fidelity hardware were rejected by government. Source inspection for unknown contamination to DC-to-DC Converter Unit Busbars was necessary. Parts were required immediately to support International Space Station launch schedule and hardware build schedules.

Temporarily shut vendor production down to run a failure analysis of the production line and processes during off hours. Identified contaminant location and resolved quality process problem. Restarted production of hardware and initiated a parallel path of rework on existing parts as a contingency plan.

Contamination identification resulted in immediate production restart allowing on-time delivery to original schedule date of "Flight" fidelity parts. Contingency plan for previously rejected parts allowed rework and acceptance of hardware for usage as "spares" in future flights. Estimated $200K savings of potentially scrapped hardware due to inspection nonconformance.

Vendor changed production process to reflect requested process improvements and was able to maintain their ISO certification and quality rating.

Current NEAs delivered to support program testing were nonfunctional, requiring them to be scrapped. Testing required to acceptance-test the system was at risk due to long lead-time necessary for flight hardware replacements.

Established new design configuration of hardware based upon commercial hardware availability. Redesigned the Test Fixture program to utilize commercial fidelity hardware with quantifiable correlations to flight hardware program.

Development testing was able to support program schedule for demonstration of system performance characteristics. System was optimized to provide additional performance prior to integration of flight system hardware.

Reduction of flight fidelity-test hardware required to support development testing reduced project overrun in test fixture area by $30K. Hardware was produced by commercial vendor, which expedited part availability by two weeks with no additional fees. Original test schedule was maintained and overall NEA Fixture Project came in on time and under budget meeting all customer requirements.

Satellite division required a Risk Management section be developed, written and documented for a major proposal with a team of three companies functioning in a partnered collaborative environment.

Developed a mini proposal team to travel to the primary customer’s location and draft a collaborative document that integrated Risk Management, Contingency Planning, Opportunity Analysis and program milestone on-ramp and off-ramp opportunities based on all partners’ Lessons Learned.

Risk proposal section was completed and delivered for inclusion into MUOS (Multi-User Operator System) proposal effort. Proposal won due in part to the strength and understanding of Risk Management for a major program with multiple partners.

The Risk Management section developed takes into account the financial quantification of "opportunities," not just risks. A new management operating philosophy was developed that has been implemented into the management culture.

Technical organization required flow down of previous design Best Practices to optimize new engine design. Design workforce in place was working with undocumented knowledge available from previous designs; no explicit knowledge was being used from previous builds or engine design proven successes. The previous process in place to collect this data was unsuccessful because it was requested once a year in a suggestion box format

A web-based repository and input sheet were designed for replacement of the existing suggestion-box format. Data input was rendered into an Oracle database matrix, which was then tied to a Lessons Learned Server available to the customer and all team members. The program established specific milestones prior to completion of the System: Preliminary and Critical design reviews requiring the Lessons Learned during each period. Designed and conducted a series of eight Lessons Learned sessions with technical teams that provided clarification and output for the Best Practices program.

Typically, each team member provided two new Lessons Learned that were applicable to the periods in which they were working. Estimate a total of 60+ new relevant statements utilized as a criteria checklist by all team members. Customer recognized the importance of the data gathered and shared it with all team members to use as a guide for others.

The tacit and explicit knowledge that had been lost from previous programs by personnel attrition and retirement was recaptured and utilized for current designs. New guides were established that allowed technology transfer of potential problem areas from previous designs into current projects.

X-33 Linear Aerospike engine design required a new methodology for engine movement in assembly area and mating of multiple engines together prior to installation in the test stand. Traditional engine lift by crane of slings would not work due to obstructions and lack of lifting capabilities

Led team that designed and developed engine installation fixture, which allowed products to be air-floated on pads moving into and out of work area by only two technicians. Created operating instructions that utilized the best commercial practices integrated into a NASA test environment.

Reduced the number of personnel resources required to move and install engines by 65% (three technicians). Increased safety movement factor and safe operations metrics by 20% by eliminating suspended-load operation. Reduced engine replacement serviceability time by 25%.

New method for engine movement was adopted by existing facility-handling crew and has become a program standard baseline.

Division Projects are guided by limited compliance rule sets compared to Programs. It was determined that the same process oversight and guidance was required, but in an abbreviated format, and an online tool was required that did not exist.

Spearheaded and facilitated a Process Development Team that identified the process oversight required in eight major business areas. Established program specialty experts to help create a series of "quick questions" that describe the management oversight and rules required for the Project. Implemented a web-input tool so specific team members can provide required input.

Process oversight required to make a project compliant to business rules and guidelines is now available. Teams were able to assign input to matrix specialist from other teams that provided appropriate input without requiring a full-time team member. Confusion about Project fidelity in eight major business areas was eliminated, reducing organizational conflict. Business meetings around Project rules were eliminated. Online tool providing 24/7 audit capability is now available to demonstrate compliance.

Process oversight for Projects was implemented in a six-month timeframe, providing business compliance to organizational standards.

No Process flow matrix was available for Operability, Reliability and Maintainability functions. Many process functions were duplicating efforts.

Initiated and facilitated dialog among all members to create process-flow diagrams for each specific function. Mapped all process flows together to identify duplication in areas and overlap. Restructured flow into an optimized Process matrix.

Eliminated two duplicate reports in three areas. Saved approximately 120 hours per report (780 hours total). Allowed more appropriate use of resources in areas that were duplicating efforts.

Elimination of duplicated efforts was recognized by NASA customer as a major process improvement and reflected in Program award fee.

Nonprofit youth leadership organization (Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership—HOBY) required addition of a new seminar program component, bringing community business leaders into contact with high school seminar participant ambassadors.

Established a voluntary seminar lunchtime mentorship program where approximately a dozen key business leaders from multiple disciplines attend an interactive Q/A lunch. Channeled financial opportunity partnership from mentors to fund nonprofit seminar award for World Leadership Congress admission fees.

For three years HOBY California Central has been able to provide 45 Business Mentors the opportunity to have lunch and a direct impact on 100+ high school sophomores from their community on a yearly basis. The Mentors have collectively funded three HOBY Ambassadors to attend the World Leadership Congress in Washington, DC. Currently writing a publication on “Partnering Business Mentorship.”

HOBY West Coast National Director requested description of the California Central Mentorship Program model to share with other seminar locations struggling with similar implementations.