A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO MANAGING LOW-SCOPE GROWTH-WORK IN NEW CONSTRUCTION SHIPBUILDING

The goal of this study is to determine if a set of heuristics can be used as a decision-making tool to effectively determine what low-scope growth-work needs to be targeted for execution early in the construction cycle of a new naval ship. This study analyzes growth-work that is not incorporated into the base contract with a formal engineering change proposal, but rather a less-formal waterfront change process where the logistics and engineering products are updated after the delivery of the ship. This study shows why some growth-work is significantly more expensive or disruptive to the crew if completed after delivery of the ship. Growth-work is realized during the long construction cycle due to technology changes, lessons learned from previous hulls, fleet requirement changes, and contract requirement gaps. Since not all of the growth-work can be incorporated during the period of performance of the base contract, this study lays out a heuristics-based systems approach to managing low-scope growth-work in new construction shipbuilding. This study shows which heuristics are effective to target growth-work that will drive cost and crew disruption if executed after the delivery of the ship. Finally, this study models this approach using cam DEFinition for Function Modeling (IDEF0) diagrams. These models provide a framework for use by other program offices.http://archive.org/details/asystemsapproach1094560405Civilian, Department of the NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited