Original Date: 07/25/2005
Revision Date: 09/12/2006

To meet staffing skill requirements, Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems is structured as a matrix organization. To successfully use this structure, Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems developed the Workload Management Tool, a web-based tool that provides a single, centralized environment in which its product–based sectors can communicate skill resource requirements and reach agreement on the most effective and efficient application of needed personnel. The Workload Management Tool also provides critical insight for strategic planning of skills staffing.

Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems (NGES) produces a variety of electronic components, systems, and related products, each requiring personnel with specialized skills. To meet these skill requirements, NGES is structured as a matrix organization where personnel are organized into functional skill areas. From these functional areas, programs, Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) and other product-based sectors draw the needed functional skills. NGES’ legacy approach to the allocation of functional skill resources was decentralized and inconsistent and provided limited tactical insight into NGES leadership. To address these limitations and increase strategic planning capabilities, NGES developed the Workload Management (WLM) Tool.

The WLM Tool is a web-based, single, centralized environment in which NGES’ product–based sectors can communicate skill resource requirements and reach agreement with functional managers on the most effective and efficient application of needed personnel resources. To achieve this informed alignment of personnel, product-based sectors submit anticipated skill requirements. Functional managers can then assess the skill needs and assign appropriately skilled personnel from the WLM Tool’s personnel inventory. This inventory allows functional managers to drill-down and view employees’ current and planned assignments and to review their skill sets. The skill sets are queried from an existing skill set database. This process can be applied to a time horizon ranging from several weeks to several years.

While the primary role of the WLM Tool is to facilitate the alignment of functional skills to project-based needs, there are additional functions and benefits. The WLM Tool also provides NGES leadership with the insight to promote prudent staffing strategies and tactics across the seven primary NGES business areas. To optimize staff use across the business areas and to enhance staffing stability, it is necessary to understand staffing and skill requirements during the peaks and valleys of each program. The WLM Tool provides this data, allowing staff resources to be effectively applied, fostering key staffing decisions such as securing contract staffing versus NGES direct hires. The WLM Tool also generates a variety of real-time reports that provide quick views of the current application of staffing skills and projected skill shortfalls and excesses.

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