Software program engineering methods proceed to evolve and enhance, with SEI analysis taking part in a key position in serving to the Division of Protection (DoD) achieve the advantages of those enhancements and drive adjustments 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 trendy software program engineering strategies, similar to 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 rules geared towards {hardware} acquisition by encouraging these trendy software program practices to streamline the event and acquisition of software-enabled techniques to ship capabilities on the velocity of ever-changing mission wants.
The discharge of Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth’s March 6 memo, Directing Fashionable Software program Acquisition to Maximize Lethality, launched a brand new crucial that DoD applications should improve 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 the whole Protection Division to hurry, streamline, and safe the event and supply of software-driven mission capabilities, from the again workplace to the entrance traces. As we define on this publish, this concentrate on the SWP has been the catalyst behind our efforts to develop a new assortment of instruments to assist DoD applications adapt their acquisition practices to speed up software program supply.
A Temporary Introduction to the Software program Acquisition Pathway
In contrast to prior generations of acquisition coverage, the SWP is designed for software-intensive techniques. Its goal is “to facilitate speedy and iterative supply of software program functionality to the person.” The SWP emphasizes trendy, iterative software program growth strategies, automated tooling (together with automated testing and cybersecurity testing), and energetic person engagement to ship software program capabilities on the velocity of want and allow customers to adapt to altering circumstances. Determine 1 under reveals the iterative nature of engagement between customers, program workplaces, and product groups underneath the SWP.
Implementing the SWP: 5 Essential Questions
Previously 5 years our SEI workforce of software program acquisition specialists has collaborated extensively with DoD program groups and coverage homeowners to implement the SWP in several contexts, determine boundaries and challenges, and monitor outcomes. In the midst of that work, we’ve got recognized frequent questions and hindrances that applications encounter as they undertake the SWP. Addressing these questions usually warrants extra instruments and assets to allow groups to place their SWP applications for fulfillment.
The most typical questions we encounter about launching SWP applications embody
- Are we actually able to undertake the SWP? Getting into the SWP Planning part requires a signed Acquisition Resolution 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 trendy software program growth approaches and want to realize an understanding of what these approaches imply in follow.
- 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 battle to shift from a Functionality Improvement Doc (CDD) articulation of must crafting a CNS on the acceptable degree. This battle usually ends in a CNS that’s merely CDD content material that has been copied and pasted into the CNS template. The up-front degree of funding within the specificity required to create a CDD runs counter to the pliability and adaptableness the SWP is designed to allow. An acceptable CNS supplies the suitable degree of element to allow the wanted flexibility.
- How will we assess progress and determine dangers early sufficient to make corrections and forestall points? Program groups usually study a slip in a supply date or value overrun too late to do something about it. Even when groups assessment metrics supplied by their product workforce, these issues aren’t obvious. Engineering knowledge is a strategic asset, and efficient metrics applications must allow program groups to know how technical metrics drive actual mission worth.
- How will we construct a strong person 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 knowledge on the worth delivered. Typically, UAs are carried out on the mistaken degree (too far faraway from the day-to-day work of customers), or they don’t sufficiently think about various kinds 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 battle 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 vital to attain profitable SWP acquisitions. Getting them proper is difficult work. Fortuitously, 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 relies on the load they stick with it their again. On the SEI a key tenet of our work focuses on equipping the warfighter with the suitable 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 function an extensible assortment of tailorable kits that program groups can use to allow the supply of software program capabilities on the velocity of want. Every package comprises instruments and methods for executing and implementing the weather of your software program program. Every package comprises Tactical Guides on subjects similar to collaborating with stakeholders, acquiring and leveraging the suitable knowledge, managing expectations, stopping (or recovering from!) frequent pitfalls, and measuring what issues to remain on target.
The primary package to be launched is the SWP Necessities Package, which is able to embody the primary three Tactical Guides:
- SWP: Prepared, Set, Go! supplies a mechanism for assessing the undertaking’s readiness to undertake the SWP, figuring out any shortfalls, and acquiring the assets, data, and help wanted for fulfillment.
- Cracking the CNS Code delivers a technique for making use of the overall steerage of the SWP to particular applications and tasks with their very own distinctive targets, constraints, and challenges.
- Pack Gentle, Measure Proper comprises steerage for applications to develop and repeatedly apply significant measures of progress, high quality, assets, and worth to their SWP program.
Suggestions from early customers will assist us to prioritize subjects to deal with within the subsequent set of Tactical Guides:
- Constructing a Worth-Oriented Person Settlement will provide a scientific strategy that applications can use for figuring out user-community contributors and explaining their position, affect, and anticipated commitments. This strategy allows applications to explicitly combine negotiated VAs, based mostly on user-community enter, into this system’s measurement plan.
- MVP, MVCR, and Launch Planning will clarify methods that applications can use to get from growing a CNS to delivering an MVP and MVCR, together with dealing with non-capability gadgets (e.g., behaviors of interfacing techniques, high quality attributes similar to maintainability).
Go Bag belongings shall be launched iteratively as we determine 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 may even commonly replace the Go Bag with new kits, supplemental instruments, templates, and extra—all based mostly on confirmed profitable practices. Click on right here to be told of latest releases and updates in device growth.
Go Baggage aren’t only for applications on the SWP, both. Our SEI workforce has helped a whole bunch of DoD applications ship software-enabled functionality by means of 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 Package. Over the approaching weeks, we are going to announce the discharge of every new Tactical Information and host an related webcast about each by way of the Go Bag announcement mailing checklist.