RISK CASE STUDY – ASSIGNEMENT 2

August 3, 20111

THE SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER DISASTER

Risk Management Plan 1. Risk management plan summarizes risk management approach, list methodologies and processes, defines everyone’s role – definition of risk management plan. NASA was using for the most part qualitative risk assessment process. Launch of the shuttle was allowed as long as aggregate risk remained acceptable. Quantitive method was applied for risk assessment because if the complex procedures (like data gathering) were in place NASA would be buried with paperwork.
NASA’s culture was flying with acceptable risk.
There was Risk Management Plan in place for NASA because there was risk assessment and protocols in place but due
There is a pressure to for government to deliver promise or a need to see where all funding went. All PM has is data and measurements based on research, analysis and historical lessons. There should be a limit where safety becomes impossible to trade. This is where government agenda should not applied because risk of losing lives is too high to trade.

11. NASA was under pressure from government and by the same token pressured contractor (Thiokol). Funding was inconsistent, expectations were very high and there was no clear direction where space program was going and flying manifest was beyond capabilities of personnel should he chose to follow all procedures. Risk was calculated in every decision.

12. Risk Management plan is evolving document as project goes on. 2 different phases should be recorded in Risk Register and 2 separated risk assessments conducted because each phase faces different risks. Identifying risk will help us analyze triple constraint factors. Both risk assessments are equally important.

Risk Quantification 13. Given the complexity of Space Shuttle Program it is necessary to address individually each technical aspect of the risk. In some cases lesson learned from previous experience with shuttles can be applied to other program given that conditions like weather, resistance to high temperature or fuel type. Certain measurements can be applied to all space shuttle programs.