Configuration Status Accounting Made Affordable

This paper describes an affordable automated configuration status accounting system that has been developed to meet the needs of the engineering community, the logistics community and the fleet. Configuration information is vital if the fleet is to be properly supported. Without complete and accurate configuration information that documents what is installed in the ship, including field changes, engineering changes, OrdAlts and MachAlts, proper support is not possible. The information system described in this paper has been installed in over 30 Navy and contractor sites. Results to date have been nothing less than outstanding, with productivity improvements in excess of 500 percent. As budgets get leaner, improvements such as this will become commonplace. We will learn to live within constrained budgets and produce higher quality products. This system is an example of what can be done with emerging technology when properly applied.