Virtual Project Management Challenge (VPMC)

Channel - Virtual Project Management Challenge (VPMC)

The NASA Virtual Project Management (PM) Challenge was an inspiring and informative agency training event designed to examine current trends in program and project management. The goal was to expose NASA practitioners to diverse perspectives, providing a forum for knowledge sharing and the exchange of lessons learned. By attracting stakeholders from all experience levels of our workforce, the Virtual PM Challenge established an important link between NASA’s world-class experts and our emerging leaders of tomorrow. This material is being kept online for historical purposes. Though accurate at the time of publication, it is no longer being updated.

12/4/2024 1:36:43 AM

Channel Videos

10 Years and Counting - The NASA Engineering & Safety Center

Send Technical Issues to: nasa-virtual-pm-challenge@mail.nasa.gov The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) was established in 2003 to address a concern raised by Admiral Gehman, the Columbia Accident Investigation Board Chairman, that NASA lacked a strong program-independent resource to provide programs an alternate perspective on difficult technical issues. The NESC fills this need by bringing together technical experts from across NASA, industry, other government agencies and academia and leveraging their expertise to solve problems. Ten years after the Columbia tragedy it is human nature to begin to forget the important lessons learned from such an event. We should periodically remind ourselves of these lessons and continue to be ever vigilant in the pursuit of the Agency’s missions. NASA’s long successful history is grounded in a few fundamental safety tenets that are just as relevant today as they were 50 years ago. This presentation will describe the factors that led to the creation of the NESC and the principles on which the organization was formed. After 10 years of operation, the NESC has established a model and management approach that efficiently capitalizes on the talent and skills across the Agency and has developed the processes that allow the work to be conducted in an open environment that encourages creative, robust technical solutions to problems.

Ralph R Roe Jr.

6/6/2013 5:00:00 PM

7 Habits of Highly Effective (NASA) Program Managers

NASA programs are not merely bigger and more complex projects. A NASA program provides added value to the Agency, while supporting its long-term strategic goals. Certainly, the skills a project manager has developed delivering technical solutions within budget and time constraints will be valuable as a program manager. But there are additional skills and habits that a new program manager must develop to be effective and succeed. In this session of the VPMC, we present seven habits of effective program managers as practiced at NASA. For each habit, a presenter will illustrate how they successfully applied the habit in their work. In addition to describing the habit in action, each presenter will address what people tend to get wrong about the habit, and how individuals might develop their proficiency at the habit. Please note that this session is pre-recorded, so there will not be a question and answer session.

NASA

6/25/2020 5:30:00 PM

7 Habits of Highly Effective (NASA) Project Managers

NASA accomplishes mission success through teams led by project managers. Here at the NASA Virtual Project Management Challenge (VPMC), we wanted to answer the question, "What are the qualities of effective project managers?" In addition to looking at research gathered by the Project Management Institute, we asked our viewers. Hundreds of VPMC viewers responded describing the characteristics of effective project managers. As we reviewed the data, one thing was clear: effective project managers aren't born - they are made. On the next VPMC, we will present the top 7 characteristics of effective project managers as informed by our viewer poll. For each characteristic, a NASA employee will illustrate how they applied that characteristic in their project management work. In addition to describing the characteristic in action, each presenter will provide advice on how others might develop their project management competencies. Please note: presenters for this VPMC will participate via pre-recorded interviews, so there will not be a Question & Answer session.

Stu McClung

10/11/2017 5:30:00 PM

7 Habits of Highly Effective (NASA) Systems Engineers

Successful NASA projects are a complex balancing act of meeting scientific and technical requirements, while managing schedule, cost, and risk. In a Virtual Project Management Challenge (VPMC), we learned that highly effective program manager share key habits—habits that anyone can develop to improve their performance. In this follow up to that session, we turn our focus to systems engineers. Specifically, "What are the qualities of an effective systems engineer?" In addition to looking at the research, we asked our viewers. Hundreds of VPMC viewers responded, ranking the characteristics of effective systems engineers. In this session of the VPMC, we will present the top seven characteristics of effective systems engineers as identified by our viewer poll. For each characteristic, a NASA systems engineer will illustrate how they successfully applied that characteristic to their project work. In addition to describing the characteristic in action, each presenter will provide advice on how others might develop their project management competencies. Please note: presenters for this VPMC will appear via pre-recorded interviews, so there will not be a question and answer session.

NASA

9/20/2018 5:30:00 PM

APPEL - Developing the Technical Workforce

Send Technical Issues to: nasa-virtual-pm-challenge@mail.nasa.gov The technical workforce—those involved with project management and systems engineering—is an integral part of NASA’s efforts and achievements. But who helps members of the technical workforce achieve their professional development goals? The Academy of Program/Project & Engineering Leadership (APPEL) is NASA’s internal resource for technical workforce development. APPEL supports NASA’s mission by promoting learning on three levels: individual, team, and organizational. Join us for a Virtual Project Management Challenge to learn more about what APPEL offers the technical workforce and how the Academy facilitates professional development through its world-class training curriculum, development programs, and strategic communications. Presenters Roger Forsgren, APPEL Director, Stephen Angelillo, APPEL Deputy Director, and Donna Wilson, Curriculum Manager, will discuss what APPEL does to help ensure NASA’s project management and systems engineering communities have the skills and knowledge they need to advance mission success at NASA.

Donna Wilson

12/2/2014 4:00:00 PM

Aspire Higher: How NASA is Developing the Next Generation of Engineering Leaders

To be successful, aeronautic and aerospace projects require project teams to collaborate effectively in order to (1) get the design right and (2) manage complexity. In this session of the Virtual Project Management Challenge, we will focus on how NASA develops its engineers to lead project teams successfully from both a technical and leadership perspective. Specifically, the Challenge will look at the agency’s Systems Engineering Leadership Development Program (SELDP) and explore how the program helps NASA develop the next generation of engineering leaders. This Virtual Project Management Challenge will feature insights from SELDP graduates Sean Laughter, Standards Verification and Integration Lead for Commercial Crew at Langley Research Center (LaRC), David Rutishauser, Avionics Lead for the Safe and Precise Landing Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) Project at Johnson Space Center (JSC), and Lisa Smith, Lead Systems Engineer in the Environmental Life Support System (ECLSS) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). SELDP Project Manager Kevin Magee and Leadership Facilitator and Coach Cindy Zook will offer their perspectives on the value of the program as well.

Sean Laughter

12/7/2017 6:30:00 PM

Building Effective Project Teams for Mission Success

NASA’s mission-critical work is performed by project teams. In this VPMC session we will explore strategies and tactics used to build and lead highly effective teams. We will use portions of previous VPMC sessions as well as new content. The following projects are featured in this session: Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III, and Astro-H. This session is entirely pre-recorded, so we will not have a live Q&A segment.

NASA

12/11/2019 6:30:00 PM

Building Your Systems Mentality: Using Systems Engineering & Integration to Solve Project Challenges

Technical knowledge is essential to the work done by NASA practitioners. So it may be surprising to learn that the most ingenious and elegant solutions to project challenges often arise not from a specific technical discipline perspective, but from a systems-focused mindset. While technical discipline expertise is a critical component of project success, sometimes the simplest resolution to a problem involves a systems-wide solution. Because of this, encouraging a systems mentality among project team members can be a powerful tool in mitigating risk and eliminating threats. Join us for an exploration of the critical ways in which a systems engineering and integration perspective can enhance project management efforts. Presenter Bo Bejmuk is the former Space Shuttle Orbiter Program Director and manager of Sea Launch Program operations and development for Boeing. He recently served as Chairman of the Standing Review Board for the NASA Constellation Program. Moderator Ramien Pierre is from NASA’s Academy for Program/Project and Engineering Leadership (APPEL).

Bo Bejmuk

9/22/2015 6:00:00 PM

Common Denominators: The Shared Habits of NASA’s Top Managers and Systems Engineers

The driving idea behind NASA’s Virtual Project Management Challenge is to identify the strategies and tactics that individuals, teams, and organizations can use to maximize mission success in the project-based workplace. Each time we highlight a project or share lessons learned, we also provide our viewers with helpful insights and actionable advice to elevate their performance. APPEL Knowledge Services has produced three sessions of the VPMC that were focused on key habits of people in pivotal roles: project managers, systems engineers and program managers. These sessions continue to be especially popular, having been viewed more than 5,000 times. In this VPMC session we will look back on all three of our “7 Habits” sessions to identify the overarching themes and meta-habits as well as to provide additional resources viewers can use to improve performance.

NASA

7/30/2020 5:30:00 PM

Considering It All For Project Success: Dissenting Opinions at NASA

Program and project managers must make thousands of decisions in the course of delivering successful products and missions. But how can they be certain their decisions are based on unvarnished inputs from their team members? The final session of NASA’s Virtual Project Management (PM) Challenge three-part series on schedule, cost, and risk will look at how project and program managers might reduce project risk by actively encouraging the expression of dissenting opinions among their team members. Speakers will be Nigel Packham, Manager of the Flight Safety Office at Johnson Space Center (JSC), and Peter Spidaliere, Mission Systems Engineer at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Moderator will be Ramien Pierre from NASA’s Academy for Program/Project and Engineering Leadership (APPEL).

Dr. Nigel Packham

6/22/2016 5:30:00 PM

Cutting More than Metal: How New Technology and Flexible Engineering Can Enable Affordable Space Missions

Send Technical Issues to: nasa-virtual-pm-challenge@mail.nasa.gov New technology is changing the way we do business at NASA. Enabled by a culture embracing innovation and flexibility that has a higher tolerance to risk, technology is impacting the entire product life cycle, from design and analysis, through production, verification, logistics and operations. New fabrication techniques such as additive manufacturing, verification techniques, integrated analysis, and models that follow the hardware from initial concept through operation are having an impact on the time and cost of building space hardware. Evolved Systems Engineering processes and policy at NASA are inherently more flexible than they have been in the past, enabling the implementation of new techniques and approaches.

Stan Rhodes

9/24/2013 3:00:00 PM

How to Get to the Moon: Success Lessons from Apollo

Andrew Chaikin

6/3/2019 5:00:00 PM

In the Driver's Seat: Program, Planning, and Control (PP&C)

Send Technical Issues to: nasa-virtual-pm-challenge@mail.nasa.gov Effective program, planning and control (PP&C) puts management in the driver’s seat to successfully manage NASA’s missions. Having the right type and level of programmatic information is essential to sound decision making. In an environment of constrained budgets, it is imperative to have accurate data and a skilled workforce without adding undue process and reporting requirements. Across the Agency, there has been a concerted effort to rebuild and improve NASA’s PP&C capability. This PM Challenge session will share innovative PP&C techniques from both an institutional and a program perspective. A panel Q&A session will follow a brief overview of inventive practices that have been put in place at GSFC and within the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle Program. Please join us in the dialogue!

Sandra Smalley

7/10/2013 3:00:00 PM

JCL Journey: A Look into NASA’s Joint Cost and Schedule Confidence Level Policy

Send Technical Issues to: nasa-virtual-pm-challenge@mail.nasa.gov NASA has been implementing Joint Cost and Schedule Confidence Level (JCL) since 2009. JCL policy, as written in NPR 7120.5E, states that projects are required to perform a JCL with the intent that they demonstrate a 70% probability that cost will be equal to or less than the targeted cost and schedule will be equal to or less than the targeted schedule date. This 70% confidence policy is partially based on the concept of “the portfolio effect” - which implies that decision makers can fund projects at lower confidence levels while achieving higher confidence levels from an Agency or Program viewpoint. Recent investigation, sponsored by the Office of Evaluation and performed by the Aerospace Corporation, builds on this concept and further investigates the portfolio effect by parametrically examining the effects of funding projects at different confidence levels with respect to varying portfolio assumptions. In this Virtual Project Management Challenge, the presenter will provide an overview of JCL - covering the policy, explaining what JCL is, and providing the rationale for the policy. The presenter will also illuminate, utilizing concepts such as risk compensation and portfolio management, recent results of how a program’s portfolio composition should influence JCL expectations of a project.

Charles Hunt

8/15/2013 5:00:00 PM

Lessons Learned from Large NASA Projects

Large, complex missions have long development timeframes that often increase the challenges associated with budget, schedule, risk and reviews. In this VPMC session, associate administrators of two NASA mission directorates will share lessons learned from large projects. William H. Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, provides strategic direction for NASA's human exploration of space and programmatic direction for the International Space Station, Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft. Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, is responsible for directing and overseeing the nation’s space research program in Earth and space science. Gerstenmaier and Zurbuchen will share project management insights from a NASA senior leadership perspective. The conversation will cover a wide range of topics, including: - Understanding inherent risk of large missions - Investing in people to prevent mistakes and their consequences - Built-in schedule margin for problem resolution during assembly, integration and test - The importance of active management that engages often - Government-contractor work environments - Positive tension” required for effective mission oversight - Examining the Standing Review Board process for improvements Please note: Presenters for this VPMC will appear via pre-recorded interviews, so there will not be a question and answer session.

William H. Gerstenmaier

11/15/2018 6:30:00 PM

Lessons Learned from NASA's Glenn Research Center

NASA’s Glenn Research Center (GRC) has played a pivotal role in advancing aeronautics and space exploration research since 1942. The Center was instrumental in the development of game-changing technologies such as liquid hydrogen rocket engines, xenon thrusters and many more. In this VPMC session, we will visit GRC to focus on three topics: the 9x15 Low Speed Wind Tunnel, the NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster – Commercial (NEXT-C) and the Orion European Service Module Integration Office. Presenters, listed below, will share their successes, challenges and lessons learned regarding testing, managing out-of-house work, team communication and stakeholder relationship building.

NASA

2/27/2020 6:30:00 PM

Lessons Learned from the Missions to Save Hubble

The story of the Hubble Space Telescope – the first major optical telescope placed in space – is one of initial disappointment and ultimate success. Shortly after deploying Hubble in 1990, NASA learned that a mirror aberration greatly reduced the clarity of the telescope’s images. Over the course of 16 years, 5 servicing missions were conducted. The mirror aberration was corrected on the first servicing mission, with each follow-on mission extending both the life and the discovery potential of the telescope. Now in operation for more than 25 years, Hubble is the most productive scientific instrument ever built. It has made more than 1.4 million observations and generated data that has led to more than 16,000 scientific paper. In this VPMC session, Scott “Scooter” Altman will share lessons learned during his command of the final two Hubble servicing missions. ***Scooter will take your questions in a live segment following the prerecorded interview, moderated by Deana Nunley. *** Scott “Scooter” Altman is a former NASA astronaut who has spent more than 51 days in space, over four missions. He was commander of STS-109 and STS-125, the final two servicing missions for the Hubble Space Telescope, which involved complex spacewalks, delicate repairs and extensive updates to increase the telescope’s lifespan. He was the pilot of STS-90 and STS-106. Altman is now senior vice president of civil operations for the ASRC Federal Engineering, Aerospace and Mission Systems (EAMS) operating group, where he is responsible for the group’s financial and technical performance, providing leadership in setting and executing operating plans and delivering on commitments to NASA, NOAA and FAA customers. Before becoming an astronaut, Altman famously performed aerial stunts while doubling as Tom Cruise’s character in the 1985 movie “Top Gun.” An accomplished pilot, Altman has logged more than 7,000 hours in more than 40 types of aircraft. He was awarded a Flight/Strike Air Medal by the U.S. Navy for his role as a strike leader flying over Southern Iraq in support of Operation Southern Watch. Altman earned a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the University of Illinois. He was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy in August 1981. He holds a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.

NASA

4/30/2020 5:30:00 PM

Making New Mistakes: Lessons Learned at NASA

Effective people, projects, and organizations learn from their own mistakes—and from the lessons learned by those around them. The simplest test to determine whether an organization promotes a climate of continuous improvement is to ask: “Can I make a mistake around here?” If the answer is, “Yes, I can make a mistake… but I’ll pay for it,” then that organization probably has a way to go before it can be considered to foster a learning environment. With Chief Knowledge Officers (CKOs) at every center and a commitment to compiling and leveraging lessons learned, NASA is a dedicated learning organization. During this NASA Virtual Project Management Challenge, presenters Michael Bell, CKO at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Program Manager for the agency’s lessons learned information system (LLIS), and Barbara Fillip, Knowledge Management Lead in the Flight Projects Directorate at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) will explore how project managers can leverage the “return on others’ experience” to achieve mission success.

Dr. Michael Bell

8/16/2017 5:30:00 PM

Masters with Masters: Game Changing and Small Spacecraft Technology

Send Technical Issues to: nasa-virtual-pm-challenge@mail.nasa.gov As NASA practitioners progress through their careers, one of the most powerful ways they can learn is by sharing their expertise in dialogue with each other. Masters with Masters events bring together two master practitioners to reflect on their experiences, lessons learned, and perspectives about upcoming challenges. These conversations yield fresh insights, promote reflection and open sharing, and serve as a learning resource for NASA’s technical workforce. Masters with Masters reflects an ongoing effort by NASA’s Chief Knowledge Officer to create a cohesive community of project management and engineering practitioners across NASA who value the free exchange of knowledge, lessons learned, and best practices. Space technology development is a central part of NASA’s mission, and this Masters with Masters event will bring together two practitioners working in areas where technology can lead to unexpected breakthroughs. Steve Gaddis is the Director of the Game Changing Development Program at Langley Research Center. Bruce Yost is the Program Manager for the Small Spacecraft Technology Program at Ames Research Center. Dr. Ed Hoffman, NASA Chief Knowledge Officer, will moderate a conversation between these accomplished practitioners about the challenges of developing innovative technologies at NASA.

Stephen Gaddis

4/29/2014 5:00:00 PM

Need-to-Know News for NASA Project Managers

This link will become available following the conclusion of the event. Visit nasa.gov/vpmc for more information.

Virtual PM Challenge

11/13/2019 6:30:00 PM

No One Grades Their Own Homework: Independent Assessment Under the New Decentralized Model

Independent assessment is a project management tool designed to provide unbiased information on project progress to key decision makers. At NASA, that means analyzing schedule, cost, and technical risk at major project milestones. In the fall of 2015, NASA updated the independent assessment function by transferring it from a central office to the four mission directorates. During this Virtual Project Management Challenge, key agency personnel will explore what has changed in terms of independent assessment at NASA and why. Presenters will discuss how the changes in independent assessment implementation impact NASA projects and project managers, and provide updates on the transition’s progress to date as well as lessons learned from the transition. NASA presenters at the event will include Deputy Associate Administrator for Management of the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Prasun Desai, Director of the Strategic Investments Division in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) Cristina Guidi, NASA Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot, Senior Advisor to the NASA Associate Administrator James Ortiz, Langley Research Center (LaRC) Deputy Chief Counsel Pete Polen, Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs in the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Greg Robinson, Director of the Integration Management Office for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) Tony Springer, Program Executive, Program and Project Management Division of the Office of the Chief Engineer (OCE) Ellen Stigberg, and Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy and Plans for Human Exploration and Operations (HEOMD) Greg Williams.

Robert Lightfoot

5/17/2017 2:30:00 PM

Orion: Project Management for the Future of Space Exploration

As part of NASA’s deep space exploration program, the Orion spacecraft will carry astronauts farther than they have ever traveled before—including to the vicinity of the Moon and Mars. This VPMC session will feature Mark Kirasich, Orion Program Manager. We will discuss how Orion supports NASA’s deep space exploration agenda, as well as how the leadership team manages a complex project involving multiple components, partners, and facilities. Additionally, we will explore the challenges the program has faced, lessons learned, and special considerations that leaders should consider when managing large projects/programs.

Mark Kirasich, Orion Program Manager

7/26/2018 5:30:00 PM

PM and SRB Handbooks: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe of NPR 7120.5E

Send Technical Issues to: nasa-virtual-pm-challenge@mail.nasa.gov Lost your bearings traveling through NPR 7120.5E? The PM and SRB Handbooks are here to help! The NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management and the Standing Review Board handbooks will be rolled out at the next Virtual PM Challenge session on Jan 28. These useful guides provide additional information, tables, figures, and concrete examples on the how and why of implementing NPR 7120.5E requirements. Presenters Mike Blythe, Deputy Director of Safety for the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC), and James Ortiz, Director of the Independent Program Assessment Office (IPAO) within the Office of Evaluation at NASA Headquarters, will give an overview of the content of these handbooks and include a Q&A session at the end. The moderator is Mark Saunders, formerly of IPAO. The PM and SRB handbooks will be posted electronically for viewing by January 25th at http://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov/OCE_rep/OCE_list.cfm. Access to this site is also available through clicking on the "Other Policy Documents" menu in the NODIS library and then selecting the Office of the Chief Engineer tab.

Michael Blythe

1/28/2014 4:00:00 PM

Project Derailed? Get Back on Track with Schedule and Cost

When they agree to lead an aerospace project, project managers commit to delivering a product that is technically excellent within a specified schedule and budget. But what can they do if a project falls behind schedule or runs over budget? The Academy of Program/Project & Engineering Leadership (APPEL) presents the second session of the NASA Virtual PM Challenge series on cost, schedule, and risk. In this second session of the NASA’s Virtual PM Challenge series on cost, schedule, and risk, we will look at the actions project managers can take to recover in-house instrument projects that are exceeding budget or behind schedule. Specifically, we’ll examine the project manager-business manager partnership and how a high-functioning partnership translates into project success. Speakers will be Kate Earle, Chief Learning Officer of the Quiet Leadership Institute, Jason Lee, Assistant Director for the Applied Research and Methods team at GAO, Vernell Jackson, Engineering Systems Resource Manager of Goddard Space Flight Center’s (GSFC) Applied Engineering & Technology Directorate, and Cynthia Simmons, Associate Division Chief of GSFC’s Instrument Systems and Technology Division. Moderator Ramien Pierre is from NASA’s Academy for Program Project and Engineering Leadership (APPEL).

Jason Lee

2/23/2016 5:00:00 PM

SAGE III: Developing Internal Capabilities while Driving Mission Success

Managing in-house projects enables the agency to develop internal capabilities while advancing mission success. In its 2007 report, Building a Better NASA Workforce: Meeting the Workforce Needs for the National Vision for Space Exploration, a subcommittee of the National Research Council's Space Studies Board addressed something long known within NASA: in-house space flight projects provide NASA engineers with the hands-on experience they need to develop critical expertise in project management and systems engineering. During this Virtual Project Management Challenge, Mike Cisewski, Project Manager for the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III/International Space Station from 2009-2017, will join us to discuss how the SAGE III team successfully developed and launched their project despite a 15-year hiatus in large in-house space flight projects at Langley Research Center.

Mike Cisewski

7/27/2017 5:30:00 PM

Smaller, Faster, Better: Big Lessons from Small(er) NASA Missions

Smaller missions are not necessarily less complex than larger missions. NASA recognizes that small projects are quantitatively and qualitatively different than large missions, and uses the concept of mission classes to provide a framework for project managers to consider the specific needs of their type of mission and determine the best path toward mission success. This Virtual Project Management (PM) Challenge will look at the Dellingr CubeSat and the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator. Participants will discuss their approach to the challenges of small projects and share lessons learned. Challenges to be discussed include tailoring design and implementation processes, maintaining clear lines of authority and responsibility in an environment where team members frequently wear multiple “hats,” leading a team that includes full-time and part-time staff, and managing resources.

Chuck Clagett

6/21/2018 5:30:00 PM

Spotlight on MSFC Projects: Solving Complex Technical Challenges

Talented people who work on projects at NASA centers are the lifeblood of the agency’s mission success. In future sessions, the VPMC will spotlight projects at NASA centers and share insights from people who keep the projects moving forward. The first of these sessions shines the spotlight on projects at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Marshall has been solving technical problems, advancing technologies and developing science instruments and space systems for almost six decades. In this Virtual PM Challenge session, project managers, scientists and engineers share challenges and success stories from a variety of MSFC-managed projects.

NASA

7/31/2019 5:30:00 PM

Success, Imagination and Problem-Solving with Dilbert's Scott Adams

In the 1990s, Scott Adams first captured how emerging technology was changing the American workplace from the point of view of an engineer working in Silicon Valley in his comic strip, Dilbert. For more than 30 years, and more than 20 million books and calendars sold, Dilbert has delighted readers with satire and insightful commentary on technology, the workplace, and management. Adams is an eclectic talent, who has trained as a hypnotist, holds an MBA from the University of California at Berkeley, and has written several non-fiction books about success, productivity, persuasion, and other business concepts. In this VPMC we will speak with him about the role imagination can play in engineering, how to match your mental state to your task, the role of failure in success, managing different types of problem solvers, and more. Adams will join moderator Ramien Pierre, from NASA’s APPEL Knowledge Services. Scott Adams is the creator of Dilbert, the award-winning comic strip launched in 1989 and now syndicated in more than 2,000 newspapers and online outlets. Dilbert, which focuses on the experiences of an engineer working in Silicon Valley, satirizes technology, the workplace, and management. Adams was inspired to create Dilbert by his work at Crocker National Bank and Pacific Bell. Adams, a trained hypnotist who holds an MBA from the University of California at Berkeley, has also authored a novella and several non-fiction books on success, productivity, and persuasion. In 1997, Adams won the Reuben award, cartooning’s highest honor, presented by the National Cartoonists Society. Collections of Dilbert comic strips have sold more than 20 million copies and topped The New York Times Best Seller list.

NASA

3/26/2020 5:30:00 PM

The First "A" in NASA: Lessons Learned from NASA Aeronautics Projects

Although best known for dramatic aerospace missions that push the boundaries of human achievement, NASA traces its roots to work of the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics to advance aeronautics during World War I. Today, NASA is making highly significant contributions to aeronautics that will improve the lives of millions of air travelers. For instance, the Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project of NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) recently developed technologies to significantly reduce airliner weight and drag while decreasing noise and pollution by a staggering 75 percent. During this session of the NASA Virtual PM Challenge we will look at The First “A” in NASA: Lessons Learned from NASA Aeronautics Projects. In addition to exploring how the work of ARMD positively impacts the American public, we will look specifically at the challenges, accomplishments, and lessons learned of the ERA project and ARMD’s Airspace Technology Demonstrations (ATD) project. We will be joined by Fay Collier—ERA project manager and Leighton Quon—ATD project manager.

Fay Collier

8/23/2018 5:30:00 PM

The Lasting Lessons of NASA’s First Shuttle to Space

When the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart in the skies over east Texas on February 1, 2003, the ensuing recovery effort and investigation gathered some of the most painful and lasting Lessons Learned the Agency has ever collected. Columbia was the first reusable spacecraft and today she rests in more than 84,000 individual pieces, collected with great effort and laid out in a nearly 7,000-square-foot secure space at Kennedy Space Center known as the Columbia Room. Here, Columbia’s legacy is preserved, while it advances research into improving the safety and reliability of human spaceflight. In this VPMC session, we will explore the Columbia Room, along with NASA’s Apollo, Challenger, Columbia Lessons Learned Program (ACCLLP) and the invaluable lessons learned that it teaches to a rapidly growing and diverse worldwide audience with Michael Ciannilli who serves as the ACCLLP Program Manager. This session will consist of both pre-recorded interviews and a live Q&A component.

Michael Ciannilli

10/22/2020 5:30:00 PM

The Resilient Project Manager

Successful projects achieve their goals even if they take place in situations that are ambiguous, volatile and challenging. Effective managers of these projects in these conditions have learned to develop their capacity to remain balanced and promote a sense of balance among their team members. What does it take to be a resilient project manager and to develop resilience among a project team? That is the question we will explore in this Virtual PM Challenge session.

Virtual PM Challenge

5/1/2019 5:30:00 PM

What’s Really Driving Your Decisions? How Cognitive Bias Impacts Engineering Decision Making

It takes thousands of individual decisions to develop, validate, and verify complex aerospace systems. Those decisions, however, are made by humans—and so are susceptible to cognitive bias. Organizations with mature systems engineering functions have developed overlapping mechanisms—such as review boards, “Red Teams,” and engineering test plans—to mitigate the potential for engineers’ cognitive biases to derail mission success. Unfortunately, these mechanisms can themselves be influenced by cognitive biases. This Virtual Project Management (PM) Challenge will examine how to identify and address cognitive bias in engineering thinking that can adversely affect decision making. During the Challenge, participants will look at examples from NASA, industry, and cognitive science research to identify biases that can influence engineering decision making. In addition, the Challenge will explore “debiasing techniques” that can be applied at the individual or organizational level to support mission success.

Virtual PM Challenge

2/28/2018 6:30:00 PM

Why Don’t They Just Give Us Money? Project Cost Estimating and Cost Reporting

Successful projects require an integrated approach to managing cost, schedule, and risk. This is especially true for complex, multi-year projects involving multiple organizations. To explore solutions and leverage valuable lessons learned, NASA’s Virtual Project Management Challenge will kick off a three-part series examining some of the challenges faced by project and program managers when it comes to managing these important elements. In this first session of the series, we will look at cost management, with an emphasis on the critical roles of cost estimating and cost reporting. By taking a proactive approach to both of these activities, project managers can better control life cycle costs, maintain stakeholder confidence, and protect other current and future projects in the organization’s portfolio. Panelists will be Doug Comstock, Director of NASA’s Cost Analysis Division, and Mary Beth Zimmerman, Branch Chief for NASA’s Portfolio Analysis Branch, Strategic Investments Division. Moderator Ramien Pierre is from NASA’s Academy for Program/Project and Engineering Leadership (APPEL).

Doug Comstock

11/17/2015 7:00:00 PM

Working Knowledge at NASA

Send Technical Issues to: nasa-virtual-pm-challenge@mail.nasa.gov Knowledge is the coin of the realm at NASA. Like all large, knowledge-intensive organizations, the agency faces continuous challenges identifying, capturing, and sharing what it knows effectively. Since the appointment of an agency-wide Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) as well as CKOs for the agency's centers and mission directorates, there has been a heightened level of awareness about the quality and quantity of knowledge work underway at the centers and mission directorates. NASA operates its knowledge management enterprise on a federated basis, with each organization determining the approach that best meets its needs. The agency has developed a map of existing knowledge services at NASA to identify the current state of the enterprise. The agency's knowledge community has also engaged with a rich network of knowledge practitioners across the federal government, such as the FBI and CIA, as well as with external organizations such as APQC that track best practices for knowledge management in all industries and sectors.

Dr. Edward Hoffman

5/2/2013 3:00:00 PM

Mediasite Showcase
Mediasite's the trusted cornerstone of any campus or enterprise video strategy. Our unyielding commitment to all things video helps you transform education, training, communications and online events.
Webcasting Video Content Management Video Delivery Integration Services Mediasite Community
Powered By Mediasite - Enterprise Video Platform