Software program engineering methods proceed to evolve and enhance, with SEI analysis enjoying a key function in serving to the Division of Protection (DoD) achieve the advantages of those enhancements and drive modifications to revolutionize software program acquisition. Our work helps simplify guidelines, adapt practices to allow decisive actions, enhance workforce functionality, and speed up adoption of business and scientific improvements. Since its inception, the SEI has been main the DoD’s embrace of fashionable software program engineering strategies, resembling Agile and DevSecOps. The SEI contributed its experience to the event of the Software program Acquisition Pathway (SWP), which was issued in 2020 as Division of Protection Instruction 5000.87. The coverage departed from many years of laws geared towards {hardware} acquisition by encouraging these fashionable software program practices to streamline the event and acquisition of software-enabled methods to ship capabilities on the pace of ever-changing mission wants.
The discharge of Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth’s March 6 memo, Directing Trendy Software program Acquisition to Maximize Lethality, launched a brand new crucial that DoD packages should enhance and speed up their adoption of the SWP as the popular path for software program acquisition. The March 2025 memo goals to scale up SWP successes throughout your entire Protection Division to hurry, streamline, and safe the event and supply of software-driven mission capabilities, from the again workplace to the entrance strains. As we define on this submit, this give attention to the SWP has been the catalyst behind our efforts to develop a new assortment of instruments to assist DoD packages adapt their acquisition practices to speed up software program supply.
A Temporary Introduction to the Software program Acquisition Pathway
Not like prior generations of acquisition coverage, the SWP is designed for software-intensive methods. Its goal is “to facilitate fast and iterative supply of software program functionality to the consumer.” The SWP emphasizes fashionable, iterative software program growth strategies, automated tooling (together with automated testing and cybersecurity testing), and lively consumer engagement to ship software program capabilities on the pace of want and allow customers to adapt to altering circumstances. Determine 1 under exhibits the iterative nature of engagement between customers, program places of work, and product groups beneath the SWP.
Implementing the SWP: 5 Vital Questions
Prior to now 5 years our SEI workforce of software program acquisition consultants has collaborated extensively with DoD program groups and coverage homeowners to implement the SWP in numerous contexts, establish limitations and challenges, and monitor outcomes. In the middle of that work, now we have recognized frequent questions and obstacles that packages encounter as they undertake the SWP. Addressing these questions usually warrants further instruments and sources to allow groups to place their SWP packages for fulfillment.
The most typical questions we encounter about launching SWP packages embrace
- Are we actually able to undertake the SWP? Getting into the SWP Planning section requires a signed Acquisition Choice Memorandum (ADM) and draft Functionality Wants Assertion (CNS). However there’s much more to being adequately organized and geared up for the profitable execution of an SWP effort. It’s not sufficient, for instance, for this system’s product workforce to simply do Agile. Program groups usually don’t have expertise implementing fashionable software program growth approaches and wish to achieve an understanding of what these approaches imply in apply.
- What’s a Functionality Wants Assertion (CNS), and the way precisely will we develop one that matches our state of affairs? Many customers and program workplace groups wrestle to shift from a Functionality Growth Doc (CDD) articulation of must crafting a CNS on the acceptable stage. This wrestle usually ends in a CNS that’s merely CDD content material that has been copied and pasted into the CNS template. The up-front stage of funding within the specificity required to create a CDD runs counter to the flexibleness and adaptableness the SWP is designed to allow. An acceptable CNS offers the appropriate stage of element to allow the wanted flexibility.
- How will we assess progress and establish dangers early sufficient to make corrections and forestall points? Program groups usually study a slip in a supply date or price overrun too late to do something about it. Even when groups evaluate metrics supplied by their product workforce, these issues aren’t obvious. Engineering information is a strategic asset, and efficient metrics packages must allow program groups to know how technical metrics drive actual mission worth.
- How will we construct a strong consumer settlement (UA) and join it to worth assessments (VAs)? A UA is an important handshake that explicitly hyperlinks the event of capabilities to real-world warfighter outcomes, and VAs present suggestions and return on funding information on the worth delivered. Usually, UAs are carried out on the flawed stage (too far faraway from the day-to-day work of customers), or they don’t sufficiently take into account several types of finish customers who’ve a stake within the functionality being delivered.
- How will we scope and sequence a minimal viable product (MVP), minimal viable functionality launch (MVCR), and subsequent releases? Many program groups wrestle with successfully defining and scoping an MVP and MVCR, resulting in misaligned expectations between this system workforce and stakeholder teams (e.g., warfighters, certifiers, testers).
Answering these 5 important questions constitutes the bedrock obligatory to realize profitable SWP acquisitions. Getting them proper is tough work. Thankfully, program groups don’t must go it alone.
Introducing the Software program Acquisition Go Bag
It’s a fact amongst warfighters that step one in finishing a mission is dependent upon the load they stick with it their again. On the SEI a key tenet of our work focuses on equipping the warfighter with the appropriate gear for his or her mission wants. With that in thoughts, the SEI broadcasts the launch of the Software program Acquisition Go Bag.
The Go Bag will characteristic an extensible assortment of tailorable kits that program groups can use to allow the supply of software program capabilities on the pace of want. Every package accommodates instruments and methods for executing and implementing the weather of your software program program. Every package accommodates Tactical Guides on matters resembling collaborating with stakeholders, acquiring and leveraging the appropriate information, managing expectations, stopping (or recovering from!) frequent pitfalls, and measuring what issues to remain on track.
The primary package to be launched is the SWP Necessities Equipment, which is able to embrace the primary three Tactical Guides:
- SWP: Prepared, Set, Go! offers a mechanism for assessing the challenge’s readiness to undertake the SWP, figuring out any shortfalls, and acquiring the sources, data, and help wanted for fulfillment.
- Cracking the CNS Code delivers a technique for making use of the final steering of the SWP to particular packages and tasks with their very own distinctive aims, constraints, and challenges.
- Pack Mild, Measure Proper accommodates steering for packages to develop and repeatedly apply significant measures of progress, high quality, sources, and worth to their SWP program.
Suggestions from early customers will assist us to prioritize matters to deal with within the subsequent set of Tactical Guides:
- Constructing a Worth-Oriented Person Settlement will supply a scientific method that packages can use for figuring out user-community members and explaining their function, affect, and anticipated commitments. This method permits packages to explicitly combine negotiated VAs, primarily based on user-community enter, into this system’s measurement plan.
- MVP, MVCR, and Launch Planning will clarify methods that packages can use to get from growing a CNS to delivering an MVP and MVCR, together with dealing with non-capability objects (e.g., behaviors of interfacing methods, high quality attributes resembling maintainability).
Go Bag property can be launched iteratively as we establish and prioritize wants with stakeholders and obtain your suggestions. Each few weeks, we are going to launch a brand new Tactical Information and host a companion webcast. As we work with program groups, we will even recurrently replace the Go Bag with new kits, supplemental instruments, templates, and extra—all primarily based on confirmed profitable practices. Click on right here to learn of recent releases and updates in software growth.
Go Luggage aren’t only for packages on the SWP, both. Our SEI workforce has helped tons of of DoD packages ship software-enabled functionality via our distinctive integration of data-driven insights, software program engineering analysis, and acquisition science. We’re packing that have into the Go Bag so program groups can implement confirmed practices to drive profitable outcomes.
The (Software program Acquisition) Pathway Forward
To kick off the launch of the Software program Acquisition Go Bag, we’re internet hosting a stay webcast on October 22. Be part of us to study extra about this effort and share your ideas on the Go Bag Necessities Equipment. Over the approaching weeks, we are going to announce the discharge of every new Tactical Information and host an related webcast about each through the Go Bag announcement mailing listing.
