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Messer, Elizabeth A.

Publications and source records attributed to Messer, Elizabeth A..

Key Decision Record Creation and Approval Module

Retaining good key decision records is critical to ensuring the success of a project or operation. Having adequately documented decisions with supporting documents and rationale can greatly reduce the amount of rework or reinvention over a project's, vehicle's, or facility's lifecycle. Stennis Space Center developed and uses a software tool that automates the Key Decision Record (KDR) process for its engineering and test projects. It provides the ability for a user to log key decisions that are made during the course of a project. By customizing Parametric Technology Corporation's (PTC) Windchill product, the team was able to log all information about a decision, and electronically route that information for approval. Customizing the Windchill product allowed the team to directly connect these decisions to the engineering data that it might affect and notify data owners of the decision. The user interface was created in JSP and Javascript, within the OOTB (Out of the Box) Windchill product, allowing users to create KDRs. Not only does this interface allow users to create and track KDRs, but it also plugs directly into the OOTB ability to associate these decision records with other relevant engineering data such as drawings, designs, models, requirements, or specifications

Hebert, Barrt

Development of a Work Control System for Propulsion Testing at NASA Stennis

This paper will explain the requirements and steps taken to develop the current Propulsion Test Directorate electronic work control system for Test Operations. The PTD Work Control System includes work authorization and technical instruction documents, such as test preparation sheets, discrepancy reports, test requests, pre-test briefing reports, and other test operations supporting tools. The environment that existed in the E-Complex test areas in the late 1990's was one of enormous growth which brought people of diverse backgrounds together for the sole purpose of testing propulsion hardware. The problem that faced us was that these newly formed teams did not have a consistent and clearly understood method for writing, performing or verifying work. A paper system was developed that would allow the teams to use the same forms, but this still presented problems in the large amount of errors occurring, such as lost paperwork and inconsistent implementation. In a sampling of errors in August 1999, the paper work control system encountered 250 errors out of 230 documents released and completed, for an error rate of 111%.

Messer, Elizabeth A.

Development of a Work Control System for Propulsion Testing at NASA Stennis

In 1996 Stennis Space Center was given management authority for all Propulsion Testing for NASA. Over the next few years several research and development (R&D) test facilities were completed and brought up to full operation in what is known as the E-Complex Test Facility at Stennis Space Center. To construct, activate and operate these test facilities, a manual paper-based work control system was created. After utilizing this paper-based work control system for approximately three years, it became apparent that the research and development test area needed a better method to execute, monitor, and report on tasks required to further propulsion testing. The paper based system did not provide the engineers adequate visibility into work tasks or the tracking of testing or hardware discrepancies. This system also restricted the engineer s ability to utilize and access past knowledge and experiences given the severe schedule limitations for most R&D propulsion testing projects. Therefore a system was developed to meet the growing need of Test Operations called the Propulsion Test Directorate (PTD) Work Control System. This system is used to plan, perform, and track tasks that support testing and also to capture lessons learned while doing so.

Messer, Elizabeth A.

Development of a Work Control System for Propulsion Testing at Stennis Space Center (SSC)

In 1996, Stennis Space Center was given management authority for all Propulsion Testing for NASA. Over the next few years several research and development (R&D) test facilities were completed and brought up to full operation in what is known as the E-Complex Test Facility at Stennis Space Center. This paper will explain the requirements and steps taken to develop the current Test Operations' electronic work control system. The Work Control System developed includes work authorization documents such as test preparation sheets, discrepancy reports, pre-test briefing reports, and test requests.

Messer, Elizabeth A.