Integrating Program Management and Systems Engineering

10DEVELOPING INTEGRATION COMPETENCIES IN PEOPLE

10.1 Introduction

While the previous chapters addressed Dimensions I and II of the Integration Framework: processes, procedures, tools, and the organizational environment, this chapter delves into Dimension III, the people competencies, and explores the issues of leadership, followership, attitudes, and team learning with the goal of the organization's success and its value proposition at the forefront. The chapter provides background on the NASA Space Shuttle programs and the JSOC's Tactical Intelligence Fusion for Fires (TUFF) program, and the relevance of these cases to the development of project and program competencies. The research shows that “the sources of unproductive tension are more likely to be the result of organization and people factors” than any other factors (Rebentisch & Conforto, 2014, p. 40). Finally, three practical models—Crew Resource Management, Control Theory, and Decision Theory—are presented as guidance for practitioners to improve team competencies to navigate complexity effectively.

10.1.1 Background/Case Study

On September 12, 1962, U.S. President John F. Kennedy issued a now‐famous challenge to the United States. He said, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills” (Kennedy, 1962). Kennedy's speech provided a sense of purpose that inspired ...