1、Public Lessons Learned Entry: 6477 Lesson Info: Lesson Number: 6477 Lesson Date: 2011-11-15 Submitting Organization: JPL Submitted by: David Oberhettinger Subject: Impediments to Implementing Earned Value Management Abstract: During a pilot exercise intended to advance the practice of EVM at NASA, t
2、he pilot project facilitators observed resistance from the projects towards making the project and institutional changes needed for effective implementation of the EVM process. Implementing initiatives like EVM across the NASA Centers may require a formal change management initiative to overcome org
3、anizational inertia, cultural resistance, and a lack of local support, readiness, and buy-in. Description of Driving Event: Although NASA projects with funding of over $20 million are required to use Earned Value Management (EVM) techniques to measure and assess project performance (Reference (1), E
4、VM systems and processes are not well established throughout NASA. The NASA EVM Capability Project was established by the NASA Office of Chief Engineer (OCE) to develop and pilot an agency-wide, in-house, EVM capability that will meet NASAs project management requirements and ensure compliance with
5、the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) mandates. The NASA Program Management Council (PMC) approved the NASA EVM Capability Project on December 16, 2009. There are three primary objectives of the EVM project: 1. Establish a NASA EVM process, along with the supporting documentation, that c
6、an be used as a model for all NASA projects that must implement EVM. 2. Demonstrate the NASA-wide EVM capability process on two projects (1) the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Systems Project and (2) the Ice, Clouds, and Land Elevation Satellite II (ICESat-2) Project. The purpose of these two EVM pil
7、ot exercises is to test and modify the process as needed to ensure the most effective implementation of a NASA-wide EVM capability. Sponsored by the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) and managed by NASA Johnson Space Center, the EVA Systems Project seeks to protect humans while operatin
8、g outside the pressurized spacecraft environment and while exploring other planetary bodies. Sponsored by the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and managed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, ICESat-2 is the second generation of the orbiting laser altimeter ICESat scheduled for launch in early 2016
9、. 3. Enhance NASA management insight into project performance by employing an effective EVM capability. Where a NASA Center has adopted a culture of less structured project control, the requirement to implement an EVM process may spur institutional resistance. Unfamiliarity with EVM tools, procedure
10、s, and products may lead to a perception that the associated project planning and management workload will not bring commensurate benefits to the project. Because adopting a scheduling methodology compatible with EVM meant that some ICESat-2 project processes had to change, organizational inertia wa
11、s a factor resisting the changes (Reference (2). While conducting the EVM pilot exercise for both the EVA Systems and ICESat-2 projects, the EVM Capability Team organizers observed resistance from the project teams towards making the project and institutional changes needed for effective implementat
12、ion of the EVM process. One possible cause of the resistance was that the NASA Center line organizations employed business processes that differed from those of the EVA and ICESat-2 project organizations, and these different business approaches raised impediments and friction. While the ICESat-2, Ma
13、gnetospheric Multiscale (MMS), and Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN) projects were frequently referenced to provide representative examples of EVM processes and products, these projects had quite differing EVM and project management practices. Also, Center management was unaware
14、 that the ICESat-2 project had not adopted Center-approved planning rates and factors. The JPL member on the EVM Capability Team recognized this cultural resistance to establishing processes conducive to EVM implementation, as the resistance echoed the early JPL project response to EVM process initi
15、atives. References: Provided by IHSNot for ResaleNo reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS-,-,-1. “NASA Program and Project Management Processes and Requirements,” NPR 7120.5D, March 6, 2007, Paragraph 3.1(c). 2. Jerald Kerby, NASA Earned Value Management (EVM) Capability Proj
16、ect, EVM Steering Committee Presentation, August 15, 2011. Lesson(s) Learned: Major strategic initiatives like EVM often encounter implementation problems because the organization underestimates the scope and complexity of the intended process changes. Implementing initiatives like EVM across the NA
17、SA Centers may require a formal change management initiative to overcome organizational inertia, cultural resistance, and a lack of local support, readiness, and buy-in. Strong support from senior Center management is essential. Recommendation(s): Before commencing implementation of major strategic
18、initiatives like EVM, NASA should formulate a change management strategy, including such elements as a: Change management plan that incorporates a structured change management methodology. (Note that acceptance of a change management plan by senior Center management may help assure project buy-in of
19、 a change that has been imposed externally upon the Center.) Change management planning checklist for use by the implementing authority to assure that all activities needed to implement the change (e.g., identifying resources, training project personnel, testing the completed change) have been addre
20、ssed. Communication plan. Recognition and rewards plan. Evidence of Recurrence Control Effectiveness: The JPL-led pilot study was performed on a set of NASA Center-managed projects. The NASA Centers will be documenting and refining their EVM processes to preclude EVM process defects like those revea
21、led by the pilot study. Documents Related to Lesson: N/A Mission Directorate(s): Aeronautics Research Exploration Systems Science Additional Key Phrase(s): Program Management.Business processes Additional Categories.Program and Project Management Additional Info: Project: Ice, Clouds, and Land Eleva
22、tion Satellite II (ICESat-2) and EVA Systems Project Approval Info: Provided by IHSNot for ResaleNo reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS-,-,-Approval Date: 2012-03-22 Approval Name: mbell Approval Organization: HQ Provided by IHSNot for ResaleNo reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS-,-,-
