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TRW Meteorology Instrument CRD (Critical Design Review) Book II TRW Meteorology Instrument CRD (Critical Design Review) Book II

TRW1972-09

The Viking Mars Missions Education and Preservation Project

The Viking Mars Missions Education and Preservation Project
Portland, United States

For each instrument and Viking Project element on the Viking Landers ,Orbiters, and launch vehicles, there were Design Reviews. These milestones occurred throughout the Design, Build, Test cycle, and were used to track and communicate status, and specifications at those milestones, to ensure changes were made according to new or changed specifications that emerged as a result of the design, build. test process. The Critical Design Reviews (CDR) were the design reviews conducted in advance of the approvals for a final design. Because there was limited access to digital communications for business purposes during this era (the 1960s and 70s), most Design Reviews were conducted in face to face meetings with all stakeholders present. The materials for a Design Review were distributed on paper in advance of, or at the meeting for all to look at during the meeting and following, for a comment period. This comment period was short for these last review cycles, as this final review typically followed many informal reviews and continuous Team Meetings, and was meant to ensure that major problems identified were addressed. Team Leaders and decision makers frequently used their copies to make notes with questions or comments for team members. Some documents and Memos that were critically important, had a list of recipient names in a sequence, and required signatures of each as well as approval signatures and comments before the document could proceed to the next person on the list. This manual process ensured key stakeholders be included in the design review process, as well as managing accountability. Today, these design reviews may take place over web conferences, and with digital files and signatures managed by a CMS or Content Management System. These systems did not exist during Viking, and as a result, many processes that we take for granted today, were done manually then. This significantly increased the time needed for design cycles, however the tradeoffs have been in some cases noted by professionals in the industry to be linked to increased responsibility by individuals, and greater communication and discussion and interdisciplinary interaction. The "face time" of the era has been noted by many Vikings interviewed to have resulted in greater vestment and collaboration, and a "family like" environment which enhanced team morale and performance, as well as accountability. It has been said by some Vikings, that the sacrifices made with this increase in person-to-person communication resulted in the best mission experience they have had, better team work, and a greater sense of pride and accomplishment in their work

Details

  • Title: TRW Meteorology Instrument CRD (Critical Design Review) Book II TRW Meteorology Instrument CRD (Critical Design Review) Book II
  • Creator: TRW, TRW
  • Date Created: 1972-09, 1972-09
  • Type: Document, Document
  • Publisher: The Viking Mars Missions Education and Preservation Project (VMMEPP), The Viking Mars Missions Education and Preservation Project (VMMEPP)

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