Reducing Risk in DoD Software-Intensive Systems Development

Abstract

The Department of Defense (DoD) continues to experience both successful and unsuccessful software-intensive systems development, despite all of the considerable qualifications of the workforce and the significant controls offered by the Defense Acquisition System (DAS). The unsuccessful software-intensive systems have suffered dramatic cost and schedule overruns, impacting modernization timetables and reducing funding for other developmental priorities. This research is a continuation and consolidation of previous research projects conducted for the U.S. Navy Open Architecture Task Force. That previous research is identified and cited where appropriate. The purpose of this research is to analyze why DoD risk management processes have not been more effective in reducing software-intensive systems development risk. This research addresses the use of the Technical Readiness Assessment (TRA) using the nine-level software Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), use of the software developer maturity level assessments using the Software Engineering Institutes (SEIs) Capability Maturity Model-Integrated for Development (CMMI-DEV), and use of the software acquirer maturity level assessments using SEIs CMMI for Acquisition (CMMI-ACQ). The recommendations include the use of effective tools, techniques, and analyses presented in the authors previous research efforts. The previously researched tools, techniques, and analyses include the SEIs Quality Attribution Workshop (QAW), the MUIRS (maintainability, upgradability, interoperability, reliability, and safety/security) analysis methodology, SEIs Architectural Tradeoff Analysis Methodologysm (ATAMsm), Logistics Supportability Analysis (LSA), and the Failure Modes and Effects Criticality Analysis (FMECA).The major research findings include the following: The software TRLs are ineffective in reducing technical risk for the software component development.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2016
Accession Number
AD1014640

Entities

People

  • Brad Naegle

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber
  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Business Administration
  • Computer Programs
  • Department Of Defense
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Governments
  • Management Personnel
  • Military Acquisition
  • Organizational Structure
  • Program Management
  • Public Policy
  • Reliability
  • Software Design
  • Software Development
  • System Software
  • Systems Engineering
  • Test And Evaluation

Fields of Study

  • Computer science
  • Engineering

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Organizational Process Management (OPM).
  • Software Engineering.