SDIO's implementation of TQM

Abstract

Innovation has been an essential ingredient of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) management since the program's inception. SDI leadership has employed technical and management initiatives to bring about the technical progress that the program has demonstrated. So it is not surprising that SDIO has embraced TQM as a means of achieving its goal of designing and developing an affordable, survivable, militarily effective weapon system. At the lrection of the Director, SDIO, an organization-wide TQM implementation, tailored to the unique needs of the SDI Program, has been initiated. The intent is to create an environment within the expansive SDIO management network for continuous process improvement, better communications and coordination, and more focused attention on the integration of the Strategic Defense System (SDS). system. As the result of significant progress, in early 1987 an achievable concept for such a system emerged and SDIO's responsibilities were expanded to include the design and development of the SDS. Currently the SDIO has two major responsibilities: to maintain and advance the technology base to support SDS development, and to develop both the SDS concept and the initial SDS (Phase I) to allow the President to make an informed deployment decision. The Phase I SDS is made up of six individual systems, called elements, each of which is managed by a Service program office. While the A m y and Air Force are responsible for the development of the elements, SDIO is responsible for overall SDS design and the effective integration of the elements into an operational system that meets the military need SDIO provides guidance and funding to the Services and coordinates the element programs through its designated System Element Managers (SEMs) and the Systems Engineering (SE) contractor, General Electric. The Services' element program offices, referred to as Executing Agents, are The SDIO was chartered in 1984 as a result responsible for the detailed design and program of President Reagan's initiative to establish ballistic management of the elements that, when integrated, missile defense as a national goal. The SDIO, make up the SDS. These element program offices which reports directly to the Secretary of Defense, manage the majority of the contracted effort on the was given the responsibility to provide the focus for SDS program. collecting and sponsoring technologies that could lead to a militarily effective ballistic missile defense Copyright O American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., 1989. All rights reserved. 399 SDIO's expansive management network, program objectives. The very nature and the shown in Figure 1, presents SDIO with a significant challenges presented make the SDI Program an challenge in terms of the communications, excellent candidate for TQM implementation, both management, coordination, and integration of a in management and in technical process immyriad of activities to ensure achievement of overall provement. ACQUISITION EXECUTIVE PROGRAM OFFICES 1 SDlO SEMS CONTRACTOR SDIO AE . a ...., E L E M E N T P R O G R A M C O N T R A C T O R S E ...., .... .:.: Figure 1 SDIO Acquisition Environment As mentioned previously, TQM type initiatives have been applied to the SDI Program since its beginning. Some of the most notable innovative techniques include: Integrated Program Management. The SDI Program has been able to achieve significant technological advancement through the cooperative participation of the SDIO and the numerous SDI Executive Agents. Despite not having direct control of programs and projects, SDIO has established an environment of open communications and teamwork, which are basic features of TQM, to accomplish, its mission.