Cagle R.B. - Blueprint for Project Recovery[c] A Project Management Guide (2003)(en)

A T T A C H M E N T 8

You can look at a Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) as a horizontal

function and a Requirements Flow-Down Matrix (RFM) as a vertical function. The RTM traces where a requirement appears in the overall process while the RFM shows where a requirement has been allocated. Both apply to both prime and subcontractors. The subcontractor versions are usually preceded with an ‘‘S’’ for differentiating between the two.

If you do not have a Requirements Flow-Down Matrix (or Plan), you can use Table A8-1 as a start. Modify the table for your own needs. Just be sure to not change the concepts of content and flow.

In the case of the RFM, there are two levels or sets of requirements to be flowed down. The first is the requirement from the customer as contained in

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A T T A C H M E N T 9

DATA DELIVERY MATRIX

Some tool is necessary to compile data delivery requirements from the requirements document (contract), put them in a common place, and assign word dates and delivery dates and responsibilities. The Data Delivery Matrix is a simple and effective tool for accomplishing this overall purpose and providing a central location of past activities as well. A Data Delivery Matrix can be created by using a spreadsheet such as the one shown in Table A9-1. The columns can be extended to the right for multiple deliveries or the right column can be updated periodically as necessary.

If your data manager is so inclined and so talented, a Relational Data Base (RDB) such as Access can be used to do the same thing as the matrix in Table A9-1. The RDB takes more time to set up in the beginning but will save time and possibly mistakes in the long run. If the RDB is used, set the report format so that at least the ‘‘Data’’ column, the ‘‘Frequency’’ column, the ‘‘Next Due’’

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A T T A C H M E N T 1 0

CAPABILITY MATRIX

The purpose of the Capability Matrix is to evaluate your past experience against current requirements and thus reveal the level of capability you have to perform the current requirement. By default, the Capability Matrix will reveal those areas of requirements (tasks) where you do not have capability and must either buy the capability (includes hiring knowledgeable personnel), develop the capability, no-bid the task or requirement, or take a risk in performing the task or requirement.

The Capability Matrix either feeds or is fed by the Experience Window (see Attachment 12) and/or the Risk List (see Attachment 3).

Create a matrix similar to the one shown in Table A10-1 and list all the requirements or tasks (this includes the contents of referenced documents as well as explicitly included documents) along the side and the programs (including IR&D programs) that the enterprise has performed across the top. Every

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A T T A C H M E N T 1 1

POLICY-TO-PLAN TRAIL

A Policy-to-Plan trail is necessary to ensure that the policies required by the enterprise are incorporated into the Project Plan and the Technical Plan. After the first use, this document can be set aside if you create your own Project Plans and Technical Plans. Incorporate the required policies into the respective plans, together with a reference back to the policy. Mark, in your own way, those paragraphs as standard and use them for all subsequent projects and programs.

If you do not have a Policy-to-Plan Process, you can use Table A11-1 to start your process.

Once developed, the Policy-to-Plan Table can be used as an input document to the Standards Traceability Matrix (STM) (see Attachment 13).

The numbers appearing in the policy column reflect the enterprise policy number. The numbers appearing in the plan columns reflect the paragraph number of the plan where the policy is invoked.

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A T T A C H M E N T 1 2

EXPERIENCE WINDOW

The purpose of the Experience Window is to provide a quick check of your experience and evaluate that experience against your capability to perform a particular task. This is particularly important if you are in the process of bidding a task. It can also be used as the first step in determining whether you should seek additional capability in order to perform a task you already have. Table A12-1 shows the inputs for the Experience Window.

If you determine you do not have the experience, the next step is to use the Capability Matrix to refine your needs. A sample Capability Matrix is shown in Table A12-2 and described in Attachment 10 with further information provided in Cause Description 1b and 1b (NO).

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