Original Date: 08/20/2001
Revision Date: 12/14/2006

Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems-Surface Systems has developed a web-based collaborative environment for on-line, real-time exchange of program, project, product, and production data. The Integrated Data Environment is an award-winning system which contains large cost and schedule benefits.

In the past, Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems-Surface Systems (NE&SS-SS) utilized traditional paper-generated documentation. Facsimiles and e-mails were the means for transferring information to team members for reviews, approvals, and obtaining program documentation. This time-consuming approach lacked structure and created inefficiencies and long review cycles. Realizing that collaboration alone increases speed and communications, Lockheed Martin NE&SS-SS focused on key areas to improve its process: access to information; external access by subcontractors and customers; iterative approach and release of capability; user acceptance; and “build a little, test a little, deploy a little.” The result was a web-based collaborative environment for on-line, real- time exchange of program, project, product, and production data.

The Integrated Data Environment includes information management, program management, contract management, collaborative contracts, and pricing web sites to encompass all possible areas for increased efficiencies. The system operates a secure environment for both internal and external users, and is a multiple program solution which makes documents simultaneously available to all team members. A virtual work environment, involving the complete supply chain from customer through subcontractor, was also created.

Lockheed Martin NE&SS-SS has realized many quantifiable and qualitative benefits from the Integrated Data Environment. During proposal generation and review, the company along with all external parties were able to work in the virtual environment thereby eliminating travel and hotel expenses. Other quantifiable savings included: cycle time reduction of key activities; re-deployment of staffing through workflow; enhanced configuration management; and reduced and earlier rework. Qualitative advantages included: initial foundations of knowledge management; enhanced external focus and attentiveness; improved cooperation with partners and subcontractors; and facilitation in going global.

Since 1995, Lockheed Martin NE&SS-SS reduced the cost-per-page of its paper-based Technical Manuals by 16% by transitioning to Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETMs). The Integrated Data Environment also reduces the delivery time of IETMs from 14 days to one hour. In 1999, the company’s technical manual deficiency/evaluation reports rate was 50% less than the previous year, and this trend is continuing to improve. A Process Oriented Contract Administrative Service (PROCAS) agreement among the Defense Contract Management Command; the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division; and Lockheed Martin NE&SS-SS reduced the delivery process from 33 days to less than three. The cycle time for source data replication, distribution, and tracking was also decreased from 80 hours per Technical Manual to zero hours by using a common database. The Integrated Data Environment has won numerous awards including Lockheed Martin EPI Center’s Booz-Allen & Hamilton Best Practices (1997); Lockheed Martin GES Evening of Excellence’s Team of the Year Award (1998); and the Association for Enterprise Integration’s CALS Implementor Honor Roll Award (1998).

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