“Where do you go for Lessons Learned at NASA?”
In February 2015, the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) reviewed NASA-wide knowledge sharing features and made the recommendation that there be a one-click and one-stop shop for finding Lessons Learned (LL) to ensure that website visitors, both from NASA and the public, could easily access LL resources such as the Lessons Learned Information System (LLIS), the Goddard Knowledge Exchange (GKE), and the Human Exploration Operations (HEO) Lessons Learned Video Dashboards.
The new LL tab and aligned landing page (in the tab bar above this story) is a direct result of that recommendation, one of four made by ASAP. In the past, those seeking Lessons Learned would have to dig into the Knowledge Map, using several “clicks” to get to the right spot. Now lessons learned in top databases are available with one click.
The Mission Directorate that specializes in Lesson Learned Video Dashboards is Human Exploration Operations (HEO). Patrick Johnson, the Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) of HEO, states, “The Human Spaceflight Capabilities Division has developed five excellent interactive dashboards to aid program and project managers in improving work processes and making risk-informed decisions.” Johnson adds, “They are so engaging, the general public will gain a greater understanding of how NASA plans its work and works its plan.” The multimedia resources include lessons learned extracted from various phases of project lifecycles, including captured knowledge from programs such as Space Shuttle, International Space Station, and ARES I-X Test Flight.
Michael Bell, the CKO at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), has been instrumental in managing the Agency-wide Lesson Learned Information System (LLIS), a public-facing version and a NASA-only version, that assists NASA to identify and capture best or leading practices and lessons learned specific to NASA organizations, programs, or projects. “Each lesson describes the original driving event,” details Bell, “and provides recommendations that feed into NASA’s continual improvement via training, best practices, policies, and procedures.” To search the NASA Lessons Learned database system, users click on one of the search options in the navigation bar. Once clicked, the search feature allows users to refine their search, using more advanced search choices.
NASA CKO Ed Hoffman is glad that so many accessible resources are available in one consolidated place. “The LL landing page will continue to become the place to find vital knowledge to assure mission success.”
Both the Public and NASA Only Lessons Learned Databases are accessible to the NASA workforce for submitting their lessons. For questions regarding lessons learned or knowledge sharing within Center, Mission Directorate, or cross-agency support organizations, see the NASA Knowledge Network or CKO and Knowledge Points of Contact.
