IBM Rational software simplifies development for a successfully launched lunar craft "The CSE requirements management team recognized the need to provide detailed status reports to mission project managers. To provide recurring reports without increasing labor costs, an automated, on-demand solution was a necessity. Our ability to maximize the breadth of the IBM software let us provide NASA with demand-based statistics while maintaining control of the costs." - Joseph Dress, IBM Certified Deployment Professional – DOORS V9, requirements management engineer, Constellation Software Engineering, Corp.

1. IBM Software Aerospace and defense
Case Study
Constellation Software
Engineering, Corp. makes
lunar exploration easier
IBM Rational software simplifies development for
a successfully launched lunar craft
Founded nearly a decade ago, Constellation Software Engineering,
Overview Corp. (CSE) delivers advanced systems engineering and software
development services to its customers. A small, woman-owned business
No extra time with a staff of less than 40 employees, it has maintained more than
While supporting the design of a new
lunar exploration craft, the company
35 service contracts with businesses in four states. At present, the
needed to provide project managers company delivers IT architecture, end user and help-desk support,
with up-to-date progress reports systems administration, requirements and configuration management,
without diverting the support of other
software design and development, testing and security services.
critical efforts.
Automated documentation Challenge
A customized implementation of IBM
Rational® DOORS® software along with
CSE was assisting the Goddard Space Flight Center of the National
IBM Rational Publishing Engine software Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) with its Lunar
delivers an automated reporting solution Reconnaissance Orbiter mission. The orbiter represented the space
that documents key project statistics.
administration’s first return to the moon since the Apollo program
On-target development ended and was intended to capture high-quality images of the lunar
CSE now has improved visibility into surface including details regarding its composition.
development efforts, helping to simplify
development tasks and encourage
alignment with key project goals. While aiding with the development of multiple embedded control
Improved reporting also helps to and management systems for the craft, the CSE staff was presented
save time. with a request by NASA management, which wished to receive
ongoing, timely statistics regarding the progress of the mission systems
engineering teams. CSE supported several individual projects at any
Solution Components: given time, and assembling frequent comprehensive reports would
Software have drawn key staff away from more critical efforts.
• IBM Rational® DOORS®
• IBM Rational Publishing Engine
Instead, the organization wished to provide the project managers with
a more flexible solution that could deliver demand-based reporting,
including the latest statistics, without requiring staff intervention.
Solution
Already aware of the value offered by IBM Rational® DOORS®
software to support its requirements and document management efforts,
CSE created a custom module within the IBM software that can be
attached to each project. This access controlled module, when opened,
actively scans all other modules associated with a particular project to

2. gather the most up-to-date statistics available. On average, the process
examines between 50 and 60 project documents in less than three
minutes. With these statistics gathered, users can review the progress
of the project in numerous customized views that support analysis and
reporting efforts.
© Copyright IBM Corporation 2012
For more than five years, CSE has used Rational DOORS software to IBM Corporation
encourage collaboration and communication among its design teams. Software Group
Route 100
Currently, the organization is supporting 12 different satellite projects
Somers, NY 10589
with the application, the largest of these teams comprising roughly U.S.A.
40 engineers.
Produced in the United States of America
February 2012
To simplify associated documentation processes, CSE is also heavily All Rights Reserved
leveraging the IBM Rational Publishing Engine software. This IBM IBM, the IBM logo, ibm.com, Rational and DOORS are
solution helps to automate the generation of configuration management trademarks of International Business Machines Corp., registered
documentation, mission and module reporting, and publication of the in many jurisdictions worldwide. Other product and service
names might be trademarks of IBM or other companies. A
statistics gathered by the Rational DOORS software. current list of IBM trademarks is available on the Web at
“Copyright and trademark information” at
Benefits ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml
• Generates progress reports in less than 20 seconds; the previous This document is current as of the initial date of publication
processes required around 20 minutes and may be changed by IBM at any time. Not all offerings are
available in every country in which IBM operates.
• Helps simplify problem tracking and resolution across multiple
systems with greater visibility into project history The performance data and client examples cited are presented
for illustrative purposes only. Actual performance results may
• Improves traceability for each instrument and system, helping staff vary depending on specific configurations and operating
to verify that all development goals are metFor more information conditions.
THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT IS
To learn more about IBM Rational software, contact your IBM sales PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY,
representative or IBM Business Partner, or visit: EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT ANY
ibm.com/software/rational WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR
A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND ANY WARRANTY OR
CONDITION OF NON-INFRINGEMENT. IBM products
are warranted according to the terms and conditions of the
agreements under which they are provided.
“The CSE requirements management team Statements regarding IBM’s future direction and intent are
recognized the need to provide detailed status reports subject to change or withdrawal without notice, and represent
goals and objectives only.
to mission project managers. To provide recurring
reports without increasing labor costs, an automated, Please Recycle
on-demand solution was a necessity. Our ability to
maximize the breadth of the IBM software let us
provide NASA with demand-based statistics while
maintaining control of the costs.”
— Joseph Dress, IBM Certified Deployment Professional – DOORS V9, requirements
management engineer, Constellation Software Engineering, Corp.
RAC14227-USEN-00