You can only elevate individual performance by elevating that of the entire system - W E Deming.
Working with Cobham Composite Technologies on their radome design and production programmes, Richard Hartley provided a Programme Management capability in both the development and production environments on a number of their high profile current projects and future bids.
Composite technology use in radomes represents a difficult balance between structural properties and electical performance, to produce products that meet multiple needs on weight, shape, strength, and radar properties.
Using previously acquired strong Project Management and Risk management skills and applying them into a different aerospace field, that of composites, Richard dealt, on Cobhams behalf, with higher tier customers such as Lockheed Martin, MBDA and QuinetiQ, solving difficult productionisation and operations issues, and wedging essential design and development activities into sometimes highly constrained production programmes valued from as small as £40k up to ~£3.3M.
A key issue faced whilst working within the business was the strong cultural dimension and the resultant effects at play within the departments that generated tensions at various levels. This in turn necessitated strong communication skills and careful balancing of differing priorities in order to achieve the project goals.
