Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Case Solution

Would you, as a Project Manager, delay the launch of the project (Mars

Landing Mission) or give it the go-ahead? Defend your stand with the case facts in the background.

Gentry Lee’s guidance and leadership when it came to the formulation of a strong risk management system were why I decided to delay the launch of MBE.

Gentry Lee split the risks into three separate categories: (i) business-as- usual risks, which are easy to spot and counteract; (ii) development risks that go into unknown areas; and lastly, (iii) unknown risks, which we do not have any control over (most of these are environmental risks).

He also set up an all-encompassing risk control system in which the design, structure, and decisions concerning engineering were transparently examined. A 12-person Risk Review Board, comprised of independent experts, was organized and also included the leading contractor.

Three meetings that were three days long monitored the progress of the project, raised any assumptions, and assessed the probability of success to understand the risks and consequences better.

Fifty-one months before the launch, the Preliminary Mission and Systems Review (PMSR) was conducted to appraise hazards and the distribution of resources.

Twenty-two months prior to launching, the Critical Design Review (CDR) identified new risks in addition to assessing other existing risks and allocated more assets and resources.

Finally, seven weeks before launching, the Critical Events Readiness Review (CERR) was conducted to check on the probability of success.

The conclusions in these meetings all helped the team in reviewing the development of the project. As every member of the team is updated on each stage of the project, from the initial project planning up to the launching stage, each one can add positive inputs that help address risks and contribute to the project’s success.

The Risk Priority Number is calculated as the product of the consequence and the likelihood of occurrence. For the identified risks posted at each meeting, the Risk Priority Numbers are listed below:

Identified Risks during the PMSR

Heat Shield – Medium (10)
Parachute – Medium (10)
Radar – Medium (10)
Solar Arrays – Medium (12)
Bio-Marker Science Analyser Instrument (BMSA) – Medium (12)
Sub-Surface Sample Acquisition System (SSSAS) – Medium (8)