Case Studies in Knowledge Management

Learning from Simple Systems: The Case of JPL 101 11

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• provide a method for differentiating between different categories of participants;


• have the technical capability to implement a scoring scheme based on both score
  and time;


• have a reasonable approach to addressing attempts to “game” the system; and


• reduce the probability of negative scores.

What is the Prize?

Due to JPL’s status as an FFRDC, there were a number of constraints on the prizes.
While the Ethics Office confirmed that it was all right to give prizes, our Contracts
Management Office ruled that prizes were an “unallowable” cost based on JPL’s contract
with NASA, and therefore would have to be paid for from discretionary funds and remain
under a specified value. Our executive-level advocate said that his office would provide
or obtain the discretionary funds to cover the costs of the prizes. Figure 6 provides an
overview of our decision process for determining prizes.
Because the structure of the contest was two tiered with weekly quizzes leading to
a grand prize winner, we looked at a combination approach. For weekly winners, a number
of ties were expected. Rather than a prize, we evaluated different recognition mechanisms,
for example, a system-generated e-mail for those obtaining a perfect score, or those with

Determining

the Prize(s)

Weekly Recognition

Constraints:

• Within value constraints from ethics and
  contract management offices


• Culturally acceptable prize value


• Affordable
  Assumptions:


• Prizes would be paid for from
  discretionary funds

Results:

• Recommended small prizes for those at top of
  their category


• Grand prize determined by random drawing


• Recommend sponsor make final decision
  
  
  • List by category on website
  
  
  • Email acknowledgement
    
    
    • To all with perfect scores
    
    
    • To top [N] scores
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

Grand Prize

• Small prize for top in
  category
  
  
  • Certificate, coffee mug?
  
  
  
  


• Larger prize for top winner
  
  
  • Gift certificate for dinner,
    trophy, JPL merchandise
  
  
  
  

Figure 6. Prize decision map