NASA Watch

  • 5 January 2001: A formal Definition of "Faster, Better, Cheaper" - 8 Years Late?

  • 5 January 2001: NASA Integrated Action Team Report Online, NASA HQ

  • 21 December 2000: Enhancing Mission Success ­ A Framework for the Future, A Report by the NASA Chief Engineer and the NASA Integrated Action Team (2 MB Acrobat)

    "NIAT- 12.1 Define "Faster, Better, Cheaper " and incorporate FBC- - 20 Define FBC and the application of it into NPG 7120.5 (NASA Procedures and Guidelines) "

    Editor's Note: Well Dan, its about time you got around to standardizing what you've meant when you said "Faster, Better, Cheaper". Too bad it took 8 years to come up with a decription. Wouldn't it have been a little more logical to have basedlined a definition before people embarked upon a wide range of projects - all of which were suposed to adhere to your "Faster, Better, Cheaper" mantra? We might have avoided a few mission failures had everyone been singing to the same managerial tune.

    NIAT-12: Faster, Better, Cheaper

    Current State

    In 1992, the NASA Administrator recognized that the Agency had been on a path that focused most of its resources on major projects and programs that took 7 to 10 years to complete. FBC was and is intended to stimulate innovation and provide challenge for bold new missions through application of technology, streamlined practices, managed risk, and accountable project teams. FBC has promoted taking risk with insufficient guidance as to the boundaries. Resources have been highly constrained and the impact on resultant risk has not always been mitigated.

    In 1996, the Agency provided the guidance that moved project management from a strict "rule-based" approach to managing projects to a more flexible but structured process approach. This guidance was codified through the development of the NASA Procedures and Guidelines 7120.5, "NASA Program and Project Management Processes and Requirements". Several of the findings of the failure reports identified the lack of a commonly held definition and process guidance as contributing factors to these early FBC missions.

    NIAT-12 Action Summary

    Define Faster, Better, Cheaper and appropriately incorporate the definition into NPG 7120.5. The definition in Figure 13 below has been developed for inclusion in NPG 7120.5. This clarification will enable better understanding of the intent and environment of program/project management. Project success will be enabled by good planning and implementation per NPG 7120.5 and through the application of sound management and engineering practices.

    Recommendation Reference:FBC-20

    NIAT-12 Action:Define "Faster, Better, Cheaper "and incorporate into NPG 7120.5 [AE , PMCWG;4/01 ].

    Minimum Elements:

    Define FBC."Faster, Better, Cheaper is a management philosophy that promotes the acceptance of prudent mission risk while using sound and innovative approaches to safely accomplish bold mission objectives (better) while conserving time and money (faster, cheaper) ."

    To accomplish this, NASA:

  • Emphasizes that safety of the public, its flight crews, its employees, and its critical assets are of paramount importance.
  • Relies upon individual and organizational commitment to responsibility and accountability for doing it right the first time.
  • Fosters efficiency in process, and the application of innovative methods and tools to greatly reduce product development cycle time and costs while ensuring that the risk is acceptable.
  • Invests in an educated and empowered workforce to ensure the application of sound Project Management and Engineering practices.
  • Invests in a sound technology program aimed at future needs, and encourages the infusion of those technologies.
  • Recognizes that occasional mission failures will still occur.

    • Figure 13. Faster, Better, Cheaper.

    The conclusions of the reports, and this NIAT assessment, are that the FBC principles are valid if properly applied. They apply in varying degrees to different programs recognizing that the portfolio of Agency missions covers a broad spectrum of activities for which the level of acceptable mission risk must be determined by mission unique considerations. The NASA and Enterprise strategic plans project a vision full of multiple challenging missions and technology developments that to become a reality in the present environment need sound application of the Faster, Better, Cheaper philosophy and its principles.

  • 17 April 2000: Program and Project Management Forum - "Faster, Better, Cheaper: Lessons Learned from Recent Mishap Investigations", Art Stephenson

    Findings

  • Effective New Way of Doing Business if Properly Implemented
  • No Established Definition or Implementation Policy/Procedure
  • Project Managers Left to Establish FBC Policy for Their Projects
  • Significant FBC Successes
  • High Mars Projects FBC Failure Rate
  • Technology Insertion, Though Limited, Has Proved to Be Enabling
  • New Technologies Have Not Been a Cause of Failure

  • Earlier Faster-Better-Cheaper News

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