Product Assurance Readiness Decision Aide

As weapon system development dollars become scarce, it is imperative that decision makers understand the traditional cost vs. performance trades as well as concept maturity and production risks. The objective of this program is to develop a fully functional prototype of a product assurance (PA) decision aid that leverages weapon system development lessons learned and synthesizes PA data into a “readiness level.” The decision aid also provides insight into “best-value” trade-offs, enabling program mangers to confirm resources are being channeled into the most beneficial projects. In cases where readiness is below standards, corrective actions will be identified. This innovative approach will combine new, data collection methodologies with existing software technology, to build an effective application. This system supports Six Sigma transformation within the Army — enabling acquisition teams to progress toward higher performance via continuous process improvement. Advanced technology and innovative processes enable the comprehensive PA Decision Aid to collect data as a program matures and provide distributed access to Army decision makers. The Phase II program will leverage the Phase I proof-of-concept as well as best-value decision infrastructure investments by MDA, AF and Navy. The effort will result in an application that can be validated against Army system development data.