OPERATIONAL DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR EXPERIENCE RETENTION

This paper explains the need for and use of operational field failure data to eliminate modes of equipment failure from existing designs and to prevent their recurrence in future designs. At The Boeing Company these processes are called “corrective action” and “experience retention.” Experience retention goes farther than the “field fix” or hardware corrective action because the process is considered complete only when needed changes have been made to basic resources such as methods and data manuals. The paper explains how field failure reporting principles are applied by specialists whose only job is to report factual qualitative data. It shows how specialists use this information to assure that modes of failure are eliminated from like follow-on hardware as well as retained in basic company resources.