Guiding Technology Deployment Decisions using a Quantitative Requirements Analysis Technique

Successful and convincing operation of a prototype, deployed in a real setting, is a key step in advancement of many a new technology from research laboratory to real-world use. Often, however, such a deployment must be interjected into a pre-existing context of ongoing activities, established designs and standard practices. That context can pose a number of obstacles, which if unaddressed can preclude success. Careful selection of what demonstration opportunities to pursue, and determination of how best to pursue them, are therefore crucial. A study was conducted to select and plan for deployment of prototypes of integrated system health management (ISHM) software on NASA spacecraft. The study itself utilized our seasoned technology maturation assessment process, based on a quantitative requirements analysis technique. However, this process is typically applied to scrutinize a single technology application at once. In this case there were a number of candidate deployment opportunities. Since it would have been tedious and time-consuming to consider each of them one-by-one, we adapted our assessment process to accommodate their simultaneous consideration. We relate our experience in doing this - the shortcuts we took, the similarities we exploited, and the workarounds we adopted to complete this study in a timely yet effective manner.