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• Case | HBS Case Collection | September 2016 (Revised July 2017)

  Transferring Knowledge Between Projects at NASA JPL (A)

  Dorothy Leonard and Christopher Myers

  The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a federally funded research institution within NASA, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has played a large role in many space and planetary explorations, particularly to the planet Mars. As a project-based organization, JPL has many opportunities to learn between successive missions, but there are many cultural, structural and incentive-based challenges to the development and exchange of experience-based knowledge. The main case decision point focuses on one such challenge in particular: how to instill in junior engineers the practice-based experience of the seniors. Jennifer Trosper, project manager for the Mars 2020 mission, is trying to decide whether or not to seek funding for a hands-on training program building miniature, educational versions of a Mars surface vehicle. However, the cases address a number of other managerial decisions, such as determining the balance between innovation and replication of prior solutions, given that Trosper has been charged with re-using engineering designs from prior projects, but for an expanded mission. The cases also explore generic knowledge-transfer issues faced by JPL's Chief Knowledge Officer, David Oberhettinger, such as the role of documentation, uses of formal "lessons learned," and how best to use the scarce time of the most valuable JPL engineers.

  Keywords: Knowledge Sharing; Knowledge Management; Employees; Experience and Expertise; Aerospace Industry; United States;

  Citation:

  Leonard, Dorothy, and Christopher Myers. "Transferring Knowledge Between Projects at NASA JPL (A)." Harvard Business School Case 917-404, September 2016. (Revised July 2017.)  View Details

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• Teaching Note | HBS Case Collection | September 2016 (Revised July 2017)

  Transferring Knowledge Between Projects at NASA JPL (A) and (B)

  Dorothy Leonard and Christopher Myers

  Teaching Note for HBS Nos. 917-404 and 917-405.

  Citation:

  Leonard, Dorothy, and Christopher Myers. "Transferring Knowledge Between Projects at NASA JPL (A) and (B)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 917-406, September 2016. (Revised July 2017.)  View Details

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• Supplement | HBS Case Collection | September 2016 (Revised July 2017)

  Transferring Knowledge Between Projects at NASA JPL (B)

  Dorothy Leonard and Christopher Myers

  At the conclusion of the (A) case, Jennifer Trosper needed to decide whether or not to throw her support behind the training and outreach represented by the ROV-E program to build small rovers like the ones used on the surface of Mars by NASA JPL. The (B) case describes her decision and provides further information on her subsequent efforts made after the initial decision.

  Keywords: Knowledge Sharing; Knowledge Management; Employees; Experience and Expertise; Decision Making; Aerospace Industry; United States;

  Citation:

  Leonard, Dorothy, and Christopher Myers. "Transferring Knowledge Between Projects at NASA JPL (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 917-405, September 2016. (Revised July 2017.)  View Details

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