[Name of] Action Team Summary of Activities

1. [Name of] Action Team Summary of Activities

2. Summary of Activities Undertaken by the Action Team • Formed Action Team • Held Action Team Kick-Off Meeting • Identified themes or subtopics for capabilities/processes that must continue • Set the Action Team’s vision, goals, value propositions and overall areas for improvement • Set a calendar of meetings and deliverables • Identified six key projects to discuss, review process, aggregate or interview • Captured all meeting notes • Evaluated x-number of artifacts and processes • Identified strengths, weaknesses, areas for improvement, present and future challenges, and overall recommendations • Assessed, prioritized and selected best practices • Categorized best practices according to Green, Yellow or Red • Identified practices that need improvement, consolidation or abandonment • Drafted a plan for implementation of the recommended best practices • Identified tools and templates to support the new process • Outlines a rollout and support plan for the new processes • Set a series of implementation workshops • Set a training plan and schedule • Identified the project managers and resources planned for training • Set a timeline and steps that align with overall Business Change Initiative timelines • Summarized steps taken to interview, review, identify best practices and weaknesses, develop an overall plan and schedule • Outlined a transition plan • Trained the pilot project members and others who interface with the project in the new process • Implemented the change process, measured improvement, revised the process and implemented the full-scale process • Published and distributed the new policy for the new process throughout the Directorate • Monitored and evaluated the new process to ensure all support mechanisms, including tools, are in place and functioning • Conducted quality assurance audits on process efficiency benchmarks • Monitored and evaluated to improve processes as needed

3. The Envision Phase Sent letter of invitation to potential members of Action Team with overview of the Business Change Initiative Held initial meeting to review the overall process and timelines, identify roles and goals, and answer questions Identified themes or subtopics for capabilities/processes that must continue Defined the Action Team’s vision, goals, value propositions and overall areas for improvement Created a calendar of meetings and deliverables based on the overall timeline established for the Initiative

4. Letter of Invitation Subject: Invitation to Join Action Team The Flight Projects Directorate Business Change Initiative is well underway as management, communication and information sharing mechanisms are evaluated in an effort to improve cost, scheduling and overall performance across the Flight Projects.  The initiative will inventory best practices in five key areas: scheduling, business training, earned value management, cost estimating and management and reporting currently implemented within the Directorate.  Through this discovery, the ideal processes and products used to manage projects will be shared throughout the Directorate and Center for every Project’s benefit. Action Teams will identify issues, solutions and all outstanding practices that will be captured, evaluated and shared. For a 3-4 month life cycle, Action Teams will be comprised of civil servants and contractors from various GSFC directorates including Project Managers, Deputy Project Managers/Resources, Analysts, Schedulers, Specialists, and Internal and external subject matter experts. Each team will identify leading practices, recommend overall changes to be implemented and communicate regularly with leadership and staff.  Importantly, they will also study the impact of recommended changes from bottom-up, top-down and external environmental perspectives, and manage specific improvement areas. The Action Teams and leads are People Development and Business Training – led by Jonathan Bryson; Cost Estimating – led by Steve Shinn; Earned Value Management – led by Steve Shinn; Management and Reporting – led by John Decker; and Scheduling – led by Walt Majerowicz. Each Action Team will follow a simple, repeatable five-step process with key findings, best practices and subject matter expert discoveries shared along the way – Envision, Define, Design, Develop and Deploy. Action Teams will receive detailed process instructions, descriptions and timelines for each of the steps to ensure consistency of approach and outcomes from each Action Team. In sum, we’re undertaking the process to break down barriers, stovepipes, inefficiencies and stumbling blocks by leveraging the FPD front office leadership, Center resources and the strong leadership abilities of our FPD community and by better using, replicating, and modeling existing tools, approaches, capabilities, knowledge and hard-earned experiences that will result in a more efficient, effective and integrated Flight Projects Directorate. I encourage you to join the Action Team and become integrally involved. Please join us. If you have any questions, suggestions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Sent From Action Team Leader to Prospective Team Members

5. Action Team Timeline Mar 2012 Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Envision Define Design Develop Deploy 5/1/12 7/2/12 9/3/12 11/1/12 12/31/12 ' 12 ' 12 Today

6. Action Team Priority Areas 1: xx 2: xx 3: xx 4: xx 5: xx Capabilities and processes that are working well

7. Mission, Vision and Goals Name of Action Team: xx Mission: xx Vision: xx Goals: xx Action Team’s mission, vision, goals

8. The Define Phase Identified key projects to discuss, review process, aggregate or interview Organized meetings with the focus area lead(s) (e.g., EVM) and PMs/DPMs Captured and share detailed notes and findings Identified key findings including challenges, gaps, key SMEs, or best practices Determined the strengths and weaknesses of artifacts and/or processes Identified common themes of improvements needed, and present and future challenges Established criteria for selecting best practices based on metrics for assessing and prioritizing Identified “Best Practices” by categorizing practices according to Green, Yellow and Red Recommended practices that need improvement, consolidation or abandonment

9. Key Projects We identified an approach to ensure diverse input, and used the following criteria when selecting key projects to review: • x • x • x • x • x The following key projects were identified to review: • x • x • x • x • x Criteria for selection, and projects selected

10. Meeting Notes Name of Action Team: xx Date of Meeting: xx Participants: xx Key Findings: xx Systemic Issues That Were Common or Unique: xx Captured from each of the Action Team meetings

11. Review Notes Name of Action Team: xx Date of Meeting: xx Participants: xx Key Subject Matter Experts: xx Key Findings: (Challenges, Gaps, Best Practices) Systemic Issues That Were Common or Unique: xx Captured from each of the Action Team discussions, review process, or interviews

12. Evaluation of Artifacts and/or Processes

13. Best Practices Identified Criteria for selecting best practices: X X X X X For this Action Team, following are the best practices identified: X X X X X Criteria and Selection

14. Best Practices Categorized according to Green, Yellow, or Red

15. Not So Best Practices Recommended practices that need improvement, consolidation or abandonment

16. The Design Phase Developed an overall plan for implementation of the recommended best practices Created a preliminary blueprint to determine what best practices will be deployed in Code 400 Prepared tools and templates to support the processes Prepared an implementation, rollout, and support plan for the new processes Piloted the implementation processes in a series of workshops (pilot if necessary) Established a comprehensive training plan and schedule Identified all project managers and resources for training Developed an Action Team timeline and steps that align with overall Business Change Initiative timelines Prepared a calendar identifying timelines and steps involved in implementing the initiatives

17. Implementation Plan Overall plan for implementation of the recommended best practices Short-Term 3/29/12 - 5/25/12 Mid-Term 3/29/12 - 8/30/12 Long-Term 3/29/12 - 12/31/12 Today ' 12 Mar 2012 Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec ' 12 Envision Define Design Develop Deploy 5/1/12 7/2/12 9/3/12 11/1/12 12/31/12

18. Implementation Plan Tools and templates to support the new process

19. Implementation Plan For [Name of Process] Steps needed to update and implement the process

20. The Develop Phase Outlined the review process the Action Team undertook for interviewing, reviewing, identifying best practices and weaknesses, and developing an overall plan and schedule Submitted the outline for Action Team review, and revise the process if necessary Submitted the revised plan for Action Team approval Met with key internal and external stakeholders for their feedback, comments and suggestions Finalized and obtained approval of changes to the policies and procedures recommended by the Action Team

21. Process the Action Team Undertook for Documentation Revisions Date -- Submitted the Document Outline for Action Team Review Date -- Revised the process Date -- Submitted the revised plan for Action Team approval Date -- Met with key internal and external stakeholders for their feedback, comments and suggestions Date -- Finalized and obtained approval of changes to the policies and procedures recommended by the Action Team

22. Transition Plan for [name of new practice] Major steps to transition to the new practice

23. Stakeholder Feedback Meeting AGENDA Name of Action Team: xx Present: xx Note Taker: xx Date: xx Time: xx Findings: xx Recommendations: xx Meeting to review the overall process and timelines with key internal and external stakeholders for their feedback, comments and suggestions

24. The Deploy Phase Trained the pilot project members and others who interface with the project in the new process (pilot if necessary) Implemented the process on the designated projects and measure improvement (slide 34) Revised processes based on pilot results until readiness for full implementation (pilot if necessary) Implemented the full-scale process (slide 34) Drafted and published a policy for the new process on SharePoint, Wiki’s, etc. Provided general training in each approved process act Ensured all support mechanisms, including tools, are in place and functioning Conducted quality assurance audits on process efficiency benchmarks Monitored, evaluated, and improved processes as needed

25. Revisions (pilot if necessary) Review and revise processes until readiness for full implementation

26. The New Policy for the [Name of] New Process Old policy: xx New policy: xx Rationale: xx Expected Impact: xx The following new policy will be published and distributed throughout the Directorate

27. Monitor and Evaluate Support Plan -- Plan to Monitor, Evaluate and Improve Process -- Quality Assurance Audit Process -- We will conduct quality assurance audits on process efficiency benchmarks to ensure all support mechanismsfor the new tools, are in place and functioning

28. Appendix

29. Subgroup Planners • Steve Shinn, Code 400 • Lynn Wyatt, Code 460 • Barbara Fillip, Code 100 • Anthony McNair, Code 150 • Laurie Via, Code 472 • Kevin Miller, Code 430 • Candace Carlisle, Code 422 • Nidhi Vinaik, BAH • Linda Wunderlick, Code 400 • Dan Blackwood, Code 400 • Steve Shinn, Code 400 • 1-2 Project Managers • 1-2 Project Business Managers • 1 Financial Manager • 1 Deputy Project Manager/Resources • Code 400 • Code 150 • HQ / CAD • TBD Action Team Structure: Leadership, Resources, and Projects EVM Subgroup

30. Calendar of Meetings and Deliverables – March 2012 Based on the overall timeline established for the Initiative

31. Calendar of Meetings and Deliverables – April 2012 Based on the overall timeline established for the Initiative

32. Calendar of Meetings and Deliverables – May 2012 Based on the overall timeline established for the Initiative

33. Calendar of Meetings and Deliverables – June 2012 Based on the overall timeline established for the Initiative

34. Calendar of Meetings and Deliverables – July 2012 Based on the overall timeline established for the Initiative

35. Calendar of Meetings and Deliverables – August 2012 Based on the overall timeline established for the Initiative

36. Calendar of Meetings and Deliverables – September 2012 Based on the overall timeline established for the Initiative