Abstract:
A study supports the premise that informal peer review is valuable in ensuring that the appropriate level of technical penetration is attained during interrogation of designs. Refocus formal design reviews towards more programmatic issues and implement informal technical peer reviews staffed by competent designers and engineers who are not all directly involved in the design being reviewed.
Description of Driving Event:
A JPL study of inflight problems (see reference below) on Voyager I and II, Magellan, and Galileo (up to late 1993) revealed that 40% would likely have been identified by better technical penetration in reviews of the detailed designs performed well before launch. An additional 40% (for a total of 80%) might also have been found by similarly in-depth reviews. As a result, JPL adopted the informal peer review process in order to ensure that the appropriate level of penetration was obtained by technical personnel qualified to adequately interrogate the designs. Informal peer reviews were conducted for the Mars Pathfinder, Mars Global Surveyor, and Cassini projects. Formal presentations were de-emphasized. Informal, but in-depth, discussions of requirements and designs were a more typical activity. Over the course of these projects, JPL review board membership was composed of technical peers with recent, directly applicable, subsystem experience. Peer reviewers were selected based on their knowledge of what questions to ask, how to probe an issue, and when an answer is satisfactory. Since formal reviews emphasize verification of the project status and attainment of milestones, their chief benefit lies in the investigative work performed in preparation for the review. In contrast, informal reviews feature detailed value-added engineering analysis, problem solving, and peer review. Reference(s): JPL D-11381, Flight P/FRs and the Design Review Process
Lesson(s) Learned:
Informal system and lower level design reviews can result in a superior design process which enables formal project reviews to be more focused on programmatic issues.
Recommendation(s):
Refocus formal design reviews towards more programmatic issues and implement informal technical peer reviews staffed by competent designers and engineers who are not all directly involved in the design being reviewed.
Evidence of Recurrence Control Effectiveness:
N/A
Documents Related to Lesson:
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Mission Directorate(s):
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Additional Key Phrase(s):
- Administration/Organization
- Policy & Planning
Additional Info:
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