Date of Award
2015
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Engineering (MSE)
Department
Industrial and Systems Engineering and Engineering Management
Committee Chair
Dawn R. Utley
Committee Member
Phillip A. Farrington
Committee Member
Stephanie Reitmeier
Subject(s)
United States.--National Aeronautics and Space Administration--Decision making., Scientists in government--Decision making., Decision making., Space launch industry., Management information systems.
Abstract
This thesis investigated the communication and decision making process as part of the Systems Engineering practices at the NASA/Marshall Center to determine its level of effectiveness. Data was collected across three change requests to assess how decisions were made, how the decisions were communicated, and whether a process mattered in the formulation and dissemination of those decisions. Data results revealed the comprehensive decision making process for the technical change requests to be effective. Evidence revealed that the process was sufficiently tailored to accommodate the need of each individual technical change which promoted effective communication amongst the stakeholders in the formulation of the strategic decision recommendations elevated to upper management. However, data results also revealed the dissemination of the final decision and approval of the change requests from the higher organizational level down to all stakeholders was less effective. An establishment of a culmination meeting at the end of the change request decision process in which to close the communication loop with all entities would be beneficial.
Recommended Citation
Hicks, Karen Campbell, "Decision making and communication process assessment of NASA using three change requests from the space launch system program" (2015). Theses. 143.
https://louis.uah.edu/uah-theses/143