Creating a Win-Win Rotational Program

1. Creating a Win-Win Rotational Program 4/4/2014 Janine Brown Systems Engineer Produce Knowledgeable Systems Engineers and Aid in Knowledge Sharing Across a Company

2. Need for Experienced Systems Engineers • Traditionally, systems engineers were the most experienced engineers at a company • Extremely knowledgeable • Spent years working their way up • Many don’t have official systems engineering training • Today’s systems are more complex than in the past and require: • Top technical capabilities • Fast development and production • Low cost Source: JSF Lightening II Photo Gallery Systems engineers with extensive knowledge are more crucial than ever

3. Traditional Education Helps • Universities are helping with the education of systems engineers • Degrees at the undergraduate, masters, and doctorate levels • Curriculums often include projects to simulate real system challenges • Many professors have worked as systems engineers for large companies and bring real world experiences to their courses

4. But Nothing Replaces Experience • The best systems engineers have many years of practice • They have experienced success • They have experienced failure • They understand that it takes time to learn Source: A Case Study and Analysis of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Failure No amount of education can teach you everything you need to know for a career in systems engineering

5. So How Can a Rotational Program Help Fill the Void? • Expands systems engineering skills through various projects • Develops the ability to learn and understand new systems quickly • Intensifies an understanding of different areas of the systems engineering life cycle • Encourages learning in a variety of domain areas Rotational programs speed up the SE learning process

6. There’s Another Benefit Aside from Learning • Many companies have numerous sites located all over the country (and even world) • Each site usually provides expertise in a different domain area • Sites often manufacture very different products • Each location has their own culture • A rotating engineer will provide: • Knowledge sharing • Greater network to connect people Rotational programs increase knowledge sharing across a company

7. Experienced Engineers are Optimal for Rotational Programs • Benefits: • Working knowledge of the company • Solid technical base and experience to share with others • Known passion for systems engineering • Challenges • Willingness to get out of their comfort zone • Potentially settled with family

8. Implementation Challenges

9. Program Logistics • Outline how the rotational program will work • Duration of the overall program • Length of each rotation • Types of rotations – all technical or a mix of technical and business • Commitment required by each participant both during and after the program • Relocation policy

10. Find Qualified Candidates • Define the selection process and criteria that works for the company • Nomination by management vs self nomination • Required years of experience • Required education • Proof of technical expertise and leadership ability through letters of recommendation • Demonstrated interest in systems engineering Look for candidates with the potential to become high caliber systems engineers who continually to challenge themselves

11. Identify Challenging Rotations • Provide challenging work assignments • Achieve buy-in from managers that the engineer can provide value in a short amount of time • Ensure the rotation increases the engineer’s awareness and exposure to systems engineering and the company • Work with the employee to determine the experiences they need to broaden their knowledge base • Requirements Analysis • Systems Architecting • Integration and Test • Risk management Increase the individual’s exposure to different disciplines, program sizes, lifecycle phases, job assignments, leadership styles, cultures, and customers

12. Provide Relocation Support • To gain the most out of rotating, the engineer will need to physically move around the company • Determine if there are policies in place to support this • Ship/rent vehicle • Lodging assistance if individual has a mortgage • Define how this will work for single, married, and employees with children • Decide if there is support for spouses and children to move around too • Consider if trips home can be funded

13. Obtain Upper Management Backing • Encourage management to be supportive of taking on rotating engineers • Reassure teams that the engineer will also be sharing their knowledge from another site • Recommend managers utilize the engineer for challenging short term tasks • Provide financial support for relocation • Projects providing the rotational experience are not likely to also pay for the relocation • Host organization may need to pay for employee’s relocation (housing, car, etc.) if they are already paying a mortgage Upper management needs to support the rotational program in both technical and financial areas

14. Conclusion • Rotational programs can help fill the need for experienced systems engineers • Quickly increase the technical development and systems engineering proficiency of employees • Strengthen the knowledge sharing network around the company. • Management support is required to keep the program effective and feasible for employees

15. Backup

16. About the Author • B.S. Electrical Engineering • M.S. Systems Engineering • Northrop Grumman Systems Engineer • Started rotational program with 6 years of experience as an integration and test engineer • Participated in 4 rotations over 2 years • New technology development and customer demonstration • Requirements development • Modeling and simulation • System architecting • Program audits

17. Photo Credit • F-35 LIGHTNING II PROGRAM Photo Gallery • www.jsf.mil/gallery/gal_photo_sdd_f35atest.htm • A Case Study and Analysis of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Failure • Smith, Doug, 99.497 Engineering Project, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, March 29, 1974, Supervised by Professor G. Kardos.