Manufacturing at NASA Glenn Research Center

NationalNational Aeronautics Aeronautics and Space and Administration Space Administration

Glenn Research Center An Insight into Being an Effective Scheduler in the Project Chain of Command

August 30, 2017 Paul R McMasters, Vantage Partners, LLC Scheduler’s Role

Glenn Research Center • The role of the scheduler is primarily filled by contractors throughout the agency. – Need to have a voice that is trusted by civil service management – Freedom to speak-up to make sure NASA scheduling practices are being applied – Schedulers need thick skins because schedules are usually inaccurate the minute they are released – they are planning tools – help guide the program/project – Communicate clearly • Skills Required – Communication Skills: Schedulers need to speak with coworkers and customers on a regular basis. – Critical-Thinking Skills: Schedulers need to devise plans of action and assess those plans regularly. – Organizational Skills: Multiple schedules, people and many moving pieces keep schedulers on their toes. – Problem-Solving Skills: Schedulers need to be ready when problems arise, or be ready to anticipate problems before they happen.

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 2 Typical Org Chart

Glenn Research Center

Budget Analyst SM&A Lead Project Manager Scheduler

Systems Mechanical Thermal & Fluids Software

Systems Mechanical Design Fluid System Lead Engineering Lead & Packaging Lead

Mechanical / Thermal Lead Diagnostics Lead Structures Loads Lead

Manufacturing Lead Avionics Lead

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 3 Different Looks for Different Cooks

Glenn Research Center • Most agency detailed schedules are created and maintained in Microsoft Project – Management summary and other miscellaneous schedules are done in other packages • MS Project is widely used throughout the agency; most of the analysis tools focus on the data from MS Project • This can be challenging as some tools are Full Monte™ agency provided while others are COTS • A scheduler has many tools in their arsenal – they have to know which one to use and who is their target audience

STAT 5.0

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 4 Scheduling Data

Glenn Research Center

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 5 Schedule Data Gathering

Glenn Research Center • Deciding on the level of schedule for Integrated Master Schedule can be confusing – Guidance documents • 7120.5 & 7120.8 • Schedule Management Plan • PP & C Handbook – Past experience • What’s worked and what hasn’t – Knowing your schedule • Able to help guide the logic • Know the players

Space Flight Project

Safety & Project Systems Science / Payload(s) Spacecraft Mission Mission Management Engineering Technology Operations Assurance 01 02 04 05 06 07 03

Systems Education and Launch Vehicle Ground Integration & Public / Services System(s) Testing Outreach 08 09 10 11

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 6 Using Historical Data

Glenn Research Center • An experienced scheduler has previous schedules to use as guidance to help create schedules. – Knowledge of task duration, roles and responsibility, and logic – Historical schedules from other schedulers – Use this data to your advantage • When building a schedule take the lead on providing the first snapshot • Editing something is easier for the leads that creating something from scratch • Project vocabulary - Each project uses its own terminology – Scheduler can help guide a standard format • Come up with a standard template for yourself – I use the five disciplines for schedule creation – great way to get a start on the schedule » Design » Fab » Assembly » Test » Analysis • Remember critical path should never go through Level of Effort (LOE) tasks

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 7 How to Monitor Progress

Glenn Research Center • You’ve created a great schedule and everyone is happy and busy working and you think this is going to be easy! But no project goes as planned. • So what does a scheduler need to do to monitor progress? – Project Managers struggle with seeing clearly and quickly how their team is performing – Set a baseline – Decide on timing of collecting status – monthly, weekly, daily – How will data be collected – email, spreadsheet, actual copy of schedule – Dealing with resistance to formal tracking – Monitor scope creep – Communicate Communicate Communicate! • Don’t be afraid to ask questions or even state the obvious – someone will have the same thought or question! – Keep leads focused on what happened last week and what is happening this week and next – Remind leads what the impact will be with changes • Focus on Free Float for impact to the next task

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 8 Running a Status Meeting

Glenn Research Center • We are going to status the schedule weekly – Format for getting updates • Not everyone likes to follow one format • Need to be flexible; slice and dice the schedule to suit almost everyone – Provide some of the following: » Full MS Project version » PDF format » 6 week look ahead » 3 month look ahead » Excel version » Stoplight Criteria – Timing for updates – Meeting • Scheduler leads the meeting supported by PM – Walk through the schedule by WBS or element – Focus on past week and upcoming week milestones / tasks – yellows & reds – Real time updates – team can evaluate the changes and discuss • Management team (PM, deputy, leads) all required to attend • Use Mark on Track Button or proposed new end date – rather than % Complete – too vague

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 9 Interpreting Data

Glenn Research Center • Schedule has been statused – now what – just sit back and wait until next week status! • If it was just that easy! • Now it is tool time! • We talked early about all the tools available – Need to select metrics that will relay the message – Running the add-ins is a great start – Maybe some of the canned reports from MS Project • Look at the critical path, but remember don’t just focus on the critical path – Don’t be afraid to create your own – What is the data telling you? • Have we lost margin? • Added tasks – scope creep • Is a certain discipline falling behind? – Variances – gather variance explanations for tasks

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 10 Metrics

Glenn Research Center

Schedule Performance Trend Schedule Performance & Work Off Project Start Date: Jun-11 Act Fcst BL Status 70 6 Mo Avg Compl = 14/mo. 6 Mo Avg Planned = 47/mo. 60

50 Baseline

10 Number Number ofTask/Milestone Finishes 0 Nov-16 Dec-16 Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Actual 18 16 23 16 14 14 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Forecast 0 0 0 0 0 4 62 66 60 51 Schedule52 30 Performance26 Trend Baseline 40 49 33 25 35 22 26 17 15 25 Schedule12 Performance17 20 & Work Off Project Start Date: Jun-11 Act Fcst BL Status 80 6 Mo Avg Compl = 6 Mo Avg Planned = 70 14/mo. 48/mo. 60 50 40 Re-baseline 30 20

10 Number Number ofTask/Milestone Finishes 0 Nov-16 Dec-16 Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Actual 18 16 23 16 14 16 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Forecast 0 0 0 0 0 0 56 74 60 50 53 30 26 Baseline 18 16 23 16 14 16 57 74 60 50 53 30 26

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 11 Metrics

Glenn Research Center

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 12 Metrics

Glenn Research Center

√ Complete On Schedule < 30 days > 30 days

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 13 Metrics

Glenn Research Center

What is the best way to display your data? And what metrics can help tell the story?

Interstage-1 Finish Dates vs Weeks Current Assessment IMS Scorecard Variance Baseline EMMS (days) Percent TASK Finish Weekly IS-1 Finish Dates vs Weeks Lower Flange out of against Complete 11/15/07 Prediction round, delay in Baseline drilling LF holes and US/SM/SA Fab, Assy, & Integration Nov spot face Segment Assemblies Charge 1 Assy: US-2, US-3, US-4, US-5 Segment assy US-2 complete transfer to 333 12/13/07 12/20/07 -7 100% Segment assy US-3 complete transfer to 333 1/25/08 1/18/08 7 100% Oct Segment assy US-4 complete transfer to 333 2/11/08 2/13/08 -2 100% 10/11 Segment assy US-5 complete transfer to 333 2/27/08 2/21/08 6 100% 10/3 Charge 2 Assy: US-6, US-7, SA, SM 9/26 9/26 9/26 9/26 9/25 9/26 9/20 9/23 Segment assy US-6 complete transfer to 333 5/10/08 3/20/08 51 100% Sep 9/18 Segment assy US-7 complete ready for DFI 6/11/08 8/19/08 -69 100% Segment assy SA complete transfer to 333 5/27/08 7/22/08 -56 100% 9/2 Segment assy SM complete transfer to 333 4/8/08 7/23/08 -106 100% 8/27 8/29 Aug 8/25 Charge 3 Assy: US-1, IS-1, IS-2 Segment assy US-1 complete ready for DFI 6/30/08 9/30/08 -92 93% Segment assy IS-1 complete ready for DFI 7/8/08 10/11/08 -93 90% Segment assy IS-2 complete ready for DFI 7/7/08 9/29/08 -84 95% Jul IS-1 Fit Check w/RoCS 7/19/08 11/17/08 -121 0% Baseline

Jun ≥ 0 0 > -41 41 days of margin at baseline 11/15/07 < -41 US-1 – Crane issues; added time for Vent Box installation IS-1- Issues with Lower Flange, drilling Frustrum holes 6/6/2008 7/4/2008 8/1/20088/8/2008 9/5/2008 5/30/2008 6/13/20086/20/20086/27/2008 7/11/20087/18/20087/25/2008 8/15/20088/22/20088/29/2008 IS-2 – impact for re-sequencing IS-1 flow RoCS – fit check w/IS-1 now @ KSC

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 14 AIX Lessons Learned Key Challenge:

Schedule Glenn Research Center • Schedules are hard! – The more time you invest up front defining tasks, resourcing, and logically linking them, the smoother the project will go later. – Best Practices: • Resource loaded, fully linked critical path schedule. • Statused weekly to maintain visibility. • Rebaselined periodically to maintain reality. Ares I-X USS Schedule Margin to Delivery • Maintained by highly proficient Current Assessment RoCS; Charge 3 Added ECS installation Harness IS-1 Repair 2-shift/5 days scheduler. part of manufacturing Installation now LF to Skin on Sandblast work; Remaining IS-1 performed @ GRC Weld/Open activities work adjustments KSC 60 shutdown/Clocking House IS-1 Doubler error on IS-1 part delivery Delay in last 50 delay RoCS Doubler Remaining IS-1 Delay in receiving • Develop metrics to keep team and drawing/material delivery work 40 30 30 adjustments, curved/rolled T 25 activities that sections - Weld 30 21 21 Delay in RoCS were parallel repair for RoCS management informed “at a glance”. Doubler should be serial support beam 20 10 12 welding/match 8 drilling 10 4

# of Days # of 0 IS-1 LF Skin repair Welding • Focus can NOT be limited to the & longer time for doublers after -12 -14 -15 lower gusset final fit-up -18 -18 -10 installation -20 Continued delay in -25 -20 RoCS Doubler Delivery critical path! -30 – Lower tier paths will become critical at

5/7/2008 6/4/2008 7/2/2008 7/9/2008 8/6/2008 8/6/2008

4/30/2008 5/14/2008 5/21/2008 5/28/2008 6/11/2008 6/17/2008 6/24/2008 7/16/2008 7/23/2008 7/30/2008 the end. Time Calendar Days

Manufacturing complete 9/26 – -18 days to ship DFI Installation on last segment complete – 9/30 – -21 days to ship NASA Cost and Schedule SymposiumShipment Readiness – August Review Audit 29 –-31,8/25-8/28 2017 15 Shipment Readiness Review – 9/11

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 4 Stoplight Criteria

Glenn Research Center

• Stoplight criteria gives everyone a quick look through the schedule at what is happening quickly focusing on the tasks behind schedule. • Graphically indicating the Status field On Track Behind Behind Critical √ Complete Future – Switch([Active]="0" And [Status]="2","4",[Active]="0" And [Status]="3","4",[Status]="2" And [Total Slack]<="0","5",[Status]="1","1",[Status]="0","0",[Status]="2","2",[Status]="3","3") • Graphical Indicators can be used to highlight things like skill, organization, agency

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 16 Unique Data

Glenn Research Center • Manufacturing at NASA Glenn Research Center – At one time there were several legacy systems used to track jobs in the manufacturing shop – Use MS Project like a spreadsheet, but was able to use the scheduling and resource aspects to manage the data • Tracking actual charged hours; comparing against plan • Tracking % complete reported by tech versus time • Able to track individual parts • Track need date versus due date versus baseline • Tracking change orders • Notes and variances • Quick stoplight criteria for ease in management tracking – Only limitation was the 250 character formula writing – Needed to get creative with custom fields and combining formulas

– Helped develop Basis of Estimate (BoE) tool for future jobs

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 17 Unique Data

Glenn Research Center

GRC - WebTADS Labor Analysis Report at 14:22 04/20 Payperiod: 08/08/2011 - 08/21/2011 Labor charges (current pay period) Org Name WBS Remark Telework Type Project Description Hours DMA0 Tweety 984754.02.07.03.17.08.03 2011080202-BZ OT GRC-SUP TWIN RECTANGULAR JETS TEST 34.5 DMA0 Sylvester 877868.02.07.03.01.01.01 2012030902 OT GRC-DRIVE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES 8 DMA0 Elmer Fudd 561581.02.08.03.47.02.05 2011080302 OT GRC-EPP HIGHLY LOADED HPT TECH 8 DMA0 Porky Pig 984754.02.07.03.17.08.03 2011080202-B2 OT GRC-SUP TWIN RECTANGULAR JETS TEST 4 DMA0 Daffy Duck 122711.03.07.03.03 2011011402 OT GRC-CCE WORK IN 10X10 16 DMA0 Porky Pig 984754.02.07.03.17.08.03 2011080202-8Z OT GRC-SUP TWIN RECTANGULAR JETS TEST 4 DMA0 Marvin the Martian 277385.04.02.03 2012030501 OT GRC-LIQUID PROPULSION 0 DMA0 Marvin the Martian 648987.02.02.03.30 2012020101-PART2 OT GRC-PSL ICING SERVICE 8 DMA0 Daffy Duck 122711.03.07.03.03 2011011402 REG GRC-CCE WORK IN 10X10 77 DMA0 Tasmanian Devil 984754.02.07.03.13.02 2012021503 REG GRC-ADVANCED INLET CONCEPTS 16 DMA0 Yosemite Sam 432938.08.01.03.01 TECH EXCEL REG GRC-TECH EXCEL DIRECTORATE MGMT 56 DMA0 Tweety 984754.02.07.03.17.08.03 2011080202-BZ REG GRC-SUP TWIN RECTANGULAR JETS TEST 80 DMA0 Sylvester 699959.02.09.03.06.80.02 2012030903 REG GRC-ERA PT PROP ISOL GTF TEST I GTF COMP 31.5 DMA0 Porky Pig 984754.02.07.03.17.08.03 2011080202-B2 REG GRC-SUP TWIN RECTANGULAR JETS TEST 20 DMA0 Porky Pig 016541.01.03.A061.12 2012040202-QT REG GRC-RMB 3-1202 DOE DE-EE0003291 40 DMA0 Bugs Bunny 031102.02.03.0943.12 2011071301 REG GRC-GEARBOX CHOCKS 8 DMA0 Tasmanian Devil 699959.02.10.03.05 2012030605 REG GRC-ERA VS PAA HWB NOISE RED TEST 24

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 18 Key Takeaways

Glenn Research Center . I was taught early in my career the pretty rock scenario. I don’t know what I want, but I’ll know it when I see. . So give the team a rock to start with – probably won’t be the right rock at first – let the team tell you what they like and don’t like about the rock – come back with another rock that has more of the things they like and less of the things they don’t like - keeps asking for feedback and bringing back rocks until the perfect pretty rock emerges . Having something to modify and start with helps rather than an empty schedule. . Use some standards that have worked before; templates, metrics – you don’t always have to recreate the wheel. . Schedulers have to be creative and willing to put themselves out there and take risks interpreting the data. . Remember every team and every project is different. . Communicate – help the team speak your language – ask questions. . Effective schedulers may not be the most popular person in the project . For scheduling contractors, credibility is built by having knowledge of NASA project management and scheduling best practices and not being afraid to challenge the project team when either is not being followed.

NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium – August 29-31, 2017 19