Prepared to Launch: Growing up PM at NASA

These are things that my mind drifts to occasionally.   They are real, they happened to me while managing projects, but had a larger life-changing effect.   They affected my personality, my outlook on life and the way my brain works.

A couple I’ve already blogged about, but in the light of “how we managed projects.”  These blogs are a series of how managing projects at NASA changed my life.  I’m sure the same thing has happened to you.  You learn from managing projects and those lessons apply to more than your next project.  They go into your brain and are “compiled” into your personality

Background

The issue to be solved was the Shuttle orbited upside down, backwards – and with ZERO fuel remaining – and it needed to de-orbit and land on a runway.   The shuttle did have maneuvering fuel and a *LOT* of potential energy.   Knowing those limitations, create a model for the safe return of the orbiter to one of several runways.   This problem became known as TAEM (pronounced: as TAME) which stands for Terminal (stopping) Energy Management.  The potential energy of the orbiter needed to be converted to kinetic energy – precisely.

To find a solution to this problem involved aerodynamics, physics, mathematics, engineering and software. A large and highly skilled team worked on TAEM.

A computer program onboard the shuttle made the last adjustments of speed and altitude as the spacecraft started to land. The vehicle began re-entry by firing the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) while flying upside down, backward, and in the opposite direction to orbital motion about six minutes before touchdown.  The TAEM software constantly checked the shuttle's position, attitude, velocity, and descent angle, and automatically guides the craft into its final approach to the runway.

If you're really into this stuff, you can read the NASA report on TAEM here 

Working together

There were a LOT of people involved in the formulation of the problem and the solution.  The group had what is called: “Informational Diversity.”  Informational diversity is variations of skills, abilities, and knowledge among team members. This type of diversity is based on different functional, educational and industry backgrounds that constitute information and knowledge resources upon which the team draws.

Conflict

Naturally, there was conflict within the team.  But team conflict can be a good thing.   The traditional view of conflict was developed in the 19^th century, prevalent through the 1940s and still exists today

• Conflict is bad
• Always has a negative effect on projects
• Performance declines as conflict increases
• Conflict must be avoided!

It was the manager’s job to reduce, suppress or eliminate any type of conflict! 

But, there is another approach!

In the “Interactionist View” Conflict is natural and inevitable in all organizations, it may have either a positive or negative effect, and Project Managers should focus on managing conflict rather than eliminating it. 

During the TAEM development project, conflict was encouraged by:

• Asking tough questions
• Invite members with different views to speak
• Appointing a “Advocatus Diaboli” (Devil’s Advocate)
• Consider alternatives.

Overall rules for managing a diverse team

1. Establish a Sense of Mission

One my most favorite stories that illustrates a sense of mission is when President John F. Kennedy was visiting NASA headquarters for the first time, in 1961. While touring the facility, he introduced himself to a janitor who was mopping the floor and asked him what he did at NASA. The janitor replied, “I’m helping put a man on the moon!”  The janitor got it. He understood the vision, and his part in it, and he had purpose.

Project Mission Thoughts..

• Why does this project exist?
• Why is it important?
• Will It will be used?
• Did I had a part in fulfilling the mission?
• Believe it, Say it, Do it, Repeat

2. Establish a Communications Framework

The old-fashioned way of doing this is by posting things on a wall.  It works!  And it’s still used today.

Today, there are many electronic dashboards that serve the same purpose – but, to me – lack the same feel as paper pinned to a wall.

3. Create and live by a set of Team Guidelines

This sounds corny, but it works!  As a group, we would invent, add, remove and modify a set of team guidelines.  Yes, even adults with super-egos can abide by a set of guidelines.  But you can’t just write them down once and distribute them.  You, as a group, need to keep them in mind and remind others of a “rules violation.”

Here the rules we developed from a different team, I wasn’t smart enough to capture other project’s rules.

1. Neatness doesn’t count; accuracy does
2. If in doubt people know about it, write it down
3. Bad news is good; good news is great!
4. Full truth is permitted
5. Keep your charts up to date at all times
6. Don’t roll over or give up
7. Read other’s charts!
8. Stay focused
9. All meetings are held here – on time!

The Project Teams worked Well and TAME worked well.