HARMONI at ELT: Developing a Modular Review Process using TRIZ

Abstract

HARMONI is the first light, adaptive optics assisted, near-IR integral field spectrograph for the ELT. It covers a spectral range from 800nm to 2450nm with resolving powers from 3000 to 7000 and spatial sampling of 25mas and 6mas. It can operate in two adaptive optics modes - SCAO (including a high contrast capability) and MCAO. The project is resuming its final design phase after a rescope design phase in 2025. The HARMONI team at UKATC have been pioneering the use of TRIZ by managing monthly TRIZ workshops to tackle significant project problems that arise. This TRIZ case study investigates how design changes of HARMONI can be reviewed effectively and efficiently. It draws on how the review process of Ground Based Astronomy projects can be improved to add quality to the successful creation of an instrument while reducing strain on designers and reviewer's time. To address resource-intensive and document-driven review processes, the case study utilised TRIZ techniques including: thinking in time and scale technique: the 40 inventive principles to tackle design contradiction: function analysis and size, time, cost analysis. The solution developed considered a modular, continuous review process focusing on specific subsystems or technical topics as they mature while encouraging a live review culture, where stakeholders and expert reviewers are engaged continuously through informal check-ins rather than infrequent formal meetings.