| SUMMARY The
Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) supports the Navy fleet in various
engineering functions. One of these is change management for
submarines. NAVSEA's specific responsibility is to fund and approve
changes that the fleet requests. In 1997, this process was done
entirely manually. This manual process was labor intensive, took a long
time to complete, and, in 7 percent of the jobs, resulted in a lost
hardcopy package that had to be replaced, and the process started over.
NAVSEA was under constant pressure from the fleet customer to move the
alterations through the approval process quickly so that the new
equipment could be installed and ready for use in fleet operations.
THE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Change management is the proactive management of hardware and
software alterations that are made to active duty nuclear submarines.
This is a complex process in that every change made onboard a submarine
may affect many other pieces of hardware or software, as well as the
onboard logistics support products. In 1997, the process for funding
and approval of changes that the fleet requests was done entirely
manually. This manual process was labor intensive, took a long time to
complete, and, in 7 percent of the jobs, resulted in a lost hardcopy
package that had to be replaced, and the process started over. NAVSEA
was under constant pressure from the fleet customer to move the
alterations through the approval process quickly so that the new
equipment could be installed and ready for use in fleet operations.
RGS' challenge was to completely overhaul the process by automating it.
HOW RGS HELPED
RGS analyzed the way the change management process was conducted and
recommended automated workflow and document management software to
accelerate the cycle time and eliminate lost packages. We worked with
NAVSEA team submarine functional experts to map the "As-Is" process by
which NAVSEA approved changes. RGS then eliminated non-value added
steps, such as redundant approval cycles, to streamline the process.
Once the "To-Be" process was agreed upon, RGS then automated the
process into the LiveLink document management and automated workflow
tool. LiveLink was chosen because NAVSEA was already using it as the
base tool for the Corporate Document Management System (CDMS). RGS
continues to lead process design efforts and to design and maintain
workflow templates in Livelink. To continually improve the process, RGS
gathers business process input for any changing requirements and
implements workflow updates. RGS is the technical lead for workflow
development and management and also provides consulting in business
process design, training, and user support for the system.
BENEFITS DELIVERED
NAVSEA implemented the automated change management business process.
As a result, NAVSEA is able to track all action items in a single
location, provide weekly and ad hoc status and metrics reports, and
have reduced lost packages from 7 percent in hard copy to none. In
addition, cycle times have been substantially reduced; metrics show
that alteration packages took 60 fewer days to approve in 2003,
compared to 2002. The Navy's success with these efforts was briefed to
congress following the Challenger disaster. |
