1、Lessons Learned Entry: 0970Lesson Info:a71 Lesson Number: 0970a71 Lesson Date: 2001-07-26a71 Submitting Organization: HQa71 Submitted by: Wilson HarkinsSubject: Planning for Transition of Project Management Responsibilities Description of Driving Event: In the 1995-1996 timeframe the Office of Safet
2、y and Mission Assurance (OSMA) began development of a distance learning capability under the umbrella of the Professional Development Initiative (PDI). This distance learning capability eventually evolved from a Safety and Mission Assurance discipline system into the Site for Online Learning and Res
3、ources (SOLAR) (http:/solar.msfc.nasa.gov), currently one of NASAs primary distance learning resources. The intent of the initial development effort was to design and implement a prototype system for the Safety and Mission Assurance discipline. OSMA managed the project and the Training and Developme
4、nt Division at NASA Headquarters (Hereafter referred to as the Sponsor) provided the funding. The only stipulation that the Sponsor made was that whatever capability was developed it needed to be adaptable for use across all of the Agencys functional disciplines. The prototype distance learning syst
5、em was successful and did evolve into SOLAR which is a multi-discipline Agencywide distance learning system.As part of the decision to release SOLAR, OSMA and the Sponsor agreed that since the training materials were no longer limited to just the Safety and Mission Assurance discipline, that at some
6、 point in time the Sponsor would assume responsibility from OSMA for day-to-day management of the overall system. OSMA and the other functional discipline areas would retain responsibility for their individual discipline segments of the system including their specific course materials. No milestone
7、was established for the transition of responsibility and no planning was conducted to prepare for the transition. Both the OSMA Project Team and the Sponsor assumed that there would be adequate opportunity to plan and prepare for the transition of responsibility.Unfortunately, changing needs within
8、OSMA dictated identification of a transition date with short notice for planing, preparation and implementation. Of course no time is a perfect time for a transition, which was also the case here as several other issues were also consuming both the Provided by IHSNot for ResaleNo reproduction or net
9、working permitted without license from IHSSOLAR Project Team and the Sponsors time. Since there had been no transition planning on the part of either the SOLAR Project Team or the Sponsor several issues quickly materialized. The principle one being that the OSMA was not going to transfer any human r
10、esources to continue Project management responsibility and the Sponsor did not have any staff with sufficient time available to assume that responsibility. While OSMA and the Sponsor did eventually complete the management transition it did adversely affect SOLAR by essentially stalling all new syste
11、m development work while the transition team focused on completing the transition and maintaining day-to-day system operational capability.Lesson(s) Learned: The time to start transition planning for any transfer of functional responsibility is immediately after the decision is made that a transitio
12、n will occur, regardless of how far in the future that transition may take place. Early planning allows the project participants the opportunity to coordinate a responsibility transfer concurrent with existing and planned work rather than being controlled by external factors and forced to defer proj
13、ect activities.Recommendation(s): Initiate planning for transfer of responsibilities as soon as the decision to make the transfer occurs. If a project is a proof-of-concept activity like the original PDI distance learning project, the development work should include planning to transition to full op
14、erating capability.Evidence of Recurrence Control Effectiveness: N/ADocuments Related to Lesson: N/AMission Directorate(s): N/AAdditional Key Phrase(s): a71 Administration/Organizationa71 Policy & Planninga71 Training EquipmentProvided by IHSNot for Resale-,-,-Additional Info: Approval Info: a71 Approval Date: 2001-07-30a71 Approval Name: Eric Raynora71 Approval Organization: QSa71 Approval Phone Number: 202-358-4738Provided by IHSNot for Resale-,-,-
