Interoperable Acquisition Overview

This workshop introduces key concepts for acquisition in the context of systems of systems. The focus is on how to integrate classical program management activities, system development practices, operational activities, and sustainment into an effective set of practices to attain interoperable capability enabled by systems exchanging information and operating on that information according to specified, agreed-to operational semantics across systems of systems. Through a combination of lecture, group exercises, and class discussions, a set of practices collectively referred to as "interoperable acquisition" is introduced and shown to provide the foundation for effective acquisition in a systems-of-systems environment.

Who should attend?

• Individuals who make decisions about systems-of-systems strategy and implementation
• Technical managers, managers, and engineers who are working in acquisition programs in a systems-of-systems context and seek an explanation of what interoperable acquisition in a systems-of-systems context involves
• Individuals tasked with the acquisition, development, or deployment of interoperable systems in a systems-of-systems context

Topics

• Brief overview of interoperability from a systems-of-systems perspective
• Review of potential pitfalls of "system-centric" approaches
• Interoperable acquisition practices driven by the nature of and roles played by guiding principles, influence relationships, emergence, and "cultural" issues (e.g., rewards structures)
• Issues and recommended practices for bringing the acquisition and operational communities into alignment

Objectives

• understand the differences between managing programs in a systems of systems context versus traditional systems and identify conflicts within their own program(s) that arise from those differences
• avoid the pitfalls of using "system-centric" approaches to manage systems of systems
• apply the basic concepts of interoperable acquisition in their context

Prerequisites

Participants should be familiar with problems related to acquiring and managing systems that are part of a system of systems or multiple systems of systems. In addition, they should have some acquisition experience (e.g., project engineer, program manager, etc.). Membership in the "acquisition professional community" (or equivalent) is not required.

Materials

Participants will receive a course notebook with copies of the course slides.