# Presentation: 528038

## The Future Role of Quality in Aerospace:  Improving the Chances for Mission Success

**International Aerospace Quality Group**** **
**3****rd**** IAQG General Assembly Meeting**
**Kyoto, Japan**
** ****March 14, 2002**

**Dr. Michael A. Greenfield**
**Acting Associate Administrator**
**Office of Safety and Mission Assurance**

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## The Big Picture – What NASA Must Do

**NASA’s programs must contribute to national priorities:**
**Economic growth and security.**
**Increased understanding of science and technology.**
**Protection of Earth’s environment.**
**Educational excellence.**
**Peaceful exploration and discovery.**

**NASA’s programs must continue to build on the Agency’s core foundation for aeronautics and aerospace research and development.**
**NASA must demonstrate improvement in business practices.**

## Our Current Environment

_**Stakeholder Expectations**_
**Programs that are on time, within budget, and are safe/successful.**
**High priority planetary exploration, climate research, space station experimentation, and biological science that is effective.**
**New technology for improved access to space, and more capable planetary missions.**
**Outcomes that are meaningful to the public.**

_**Business Realities**_
**Flat budgets.**
**Workforce retirement, loss of critical skills.**
**Aging infrastructure.**
**Cost growth.**
**Increased reliance on the performance of the supply base.**

## To succeed, processes must be stable, capable, and in control.

*To succeed, processes must be stable, capable, and in control.*

## Defenses Are Never Perfect

- Source: James Reason, Managing the Risks of Organizational Accidents, 1997, p.  9

**But the reality can look like this.**

**Hazard**

**We perceive our ideal system of defenses like this.**

## When Events Lines Up Just Right, the Consequences Can Be Devastating

**Requirements**

**Design**

**Process Development**

**When Events Lines Up Just Right, the Consequences Can Be Devastating**

- Adapted from : James Reason, Managing the Risks of Organizational Accidents, 1997, p.  12

**Mishap**

**Manufacturing**

**Test**

**Operations**

**Hazard**

## Success Depends on Proactive Quality Efforts

**Requirements**

**Design**

**Success Depends on Proactive Quality Efforts**

- Adapted from : James Reason, Managing the Risks of Organizational Accidents, 1997, p.  12

**We need to understand that our  current defenses are not invincible.**
**We need to proactively build in ways to “close the holes.”**
**Quality-based tools are the best bet.  **
**  ****Requirements Definition**
**  ****Process Control**
**  ****Surveillance**
**  ****Independent Analysis**
**  ****Peer Review**
**  ****Other**

**Quality-based tools have high leverage.**

**Product inspections **
**have limited impact. They address the “symptoms.”**

## NASA’s Quality Approach

**NASA’s Quality Approach**

** ****Performance Based **
** ****Risk Based**
** ****Industry Based **
**     ****2****nd****, 3****rd****, and other  **

**EEE Parts Risk Mgmt.**
**Vendor Status**
**Problem Advisory**

**Awareness**
**Application Information**
**Testing**

**Risk based supplier assessment by technology area**

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**Industry Partnership**
**(Quality Leadership Forum, Industry Associations)**

**Outreach to Supply Base**
**(Awareness, Tools, Best Practices, Forums, Conferences)**

**Capability Maturity Models**
**Process Control**
**Continual Improvement**

**Improve Performance**

**Improve Oversight**

**Address High Risk Suppliers**

**Address High Risk Parts**

**Address High Risk Processes**

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## Integrated Risk Approach Quality/Procurement/Program Management

**Acquisition Planning**

**Solicitation and Award**

**Performance**

***Work Analysis***
**Develop WBS**
**Analyze risk of work**
***Performance Analysis***
**Select indicators,  standards**
**Determine acceptable quality level**
**Analyze cost/quality tradeoffs**
***Risk Assessment***
**Use historical data, experts, brainstorming, checklists**
**Identify, analyze, quantify: risks, triggers, probability, impact, task linkage, surveillance method**
**Identify stakeholders**
***Develop Draft SOW***

***Solicitation***
**Release Draft SOW**
**Analyze industry comments**
**Develop acquisition strategy**
**Issue final RFP**
***Proposal Evaluation***
**Assess risk for each proposal**
***Contract Negotiation***
**Surveillance method and frequency**
**Performance metrics**
**Program management plan**
**Risk allocation**
***Risk Management****** ***
**Includes Surveillance/ Communication**** **
***Contract Award****** ***

***Surveillance***
**Monitor contractor performance**
**Conduct risk based assessments**
**Adjust surveillance and performance metrics based on changes in performance and risk**
***Communication***
**Manage communications per Surveillance, Communication and Risk Management **
***Project Risk Management***
**Monitor**
**Track**
**Adjust**

## Consistent Requirements Tailored to Risk

**For example**
**“****Limited Life”**

- A proliferation of different program/contract specific words used to express the same requirement

- Single set of recommended words
- Guidance to assure the requirement is  applied in risk areas

**Will Become**

**Today**

## Trades Aren’t Simple:  Risk Versus Total Cost of COTS

## To Improve Quality, Management Must Also Improve

**To Improve Quality, Management Must Also Improve**

_**Establish Accountability**_
**Industry based requirements**
**Performance based contracts**
**Industry self oversight**
_**Emphasize Basics**_
**Addressing systemic issues**
_**Demand Evidence**_
**Oversight based on risk**
_**Impose Consequences for Poor Performance**_
**Award fee, incentive fee, future business**_** **_
_**Focus on Results **_
**Mission success criteria**

- _Mission Checklist_
- Clear Expectations
- Clear Accountability
- Clear Results

## What’s the Bottom Line?

**What’s the Bottom Line?**

**There’s a lot at stake:**
**Human life.**
**One of a kind hardware.**
**Scientific knowledge.**
**International cooperation in space.**
**Economic viability.**
**NASA must focus on its core competencies – R&D.**
**Quality is critical to our ability to meet our ambitious goals.**

## The Future State of Quality

**The future state of quality will have these elements:**
***Quality requirements and expectations***** that are proportional to the risk of the activity and its expected outcome.**
**A *****supplier oversight strategy***** that is integral to comprehensive program management (cost, schedule, and technical).**
***Emphasis on high risk areas***** such as EEE parts, printed wiring board production, and other similar space technology/ environment concerns.**

***With clear requirements, focused oversight, and proper emphasis on risk, we increase the chances for mission success, and everybody wins. ***