Acquisition Archetypes: Firefighting

SEI Report
By
Explores how falling into a routine of constant firefighting is not the way to guide a project across the finish line and provides advice for fixing the system.
Publisher

Software Engineering Institute

Watch

Abstract

From the Acquisition Support Program, one in a series of short papers on acquisition patterns of failure.

Acquisition Archetype: Firefighting

All hands on deck helps put out the immediate blazes threatening projects, but falling into a routine of constant firefighting is not the way to guide a project across the finish line.

Cite This SEI Report

Software Engineering Institute (2008, March 1). Acquisition Archetypes: Firefighting. Retrieved August 8, 2026, from https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/acquisition-archetypes-firefighting/.

@techreport{Citekey_2008,
author={Software Engineering Institute},
title={Acquisition Archetypes: Firefighting},
month={Mar},
year={2008},
institution={Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University},
url={https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/acquisition-archetypes-firefighting/},
note={Accessed: 2026-Aug-8}
}

Software Engineering Institute. "Acquisition Archetypes: Firefighting." Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, March 1, 2008. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/acquisition-archetypes-firefighting/.

Software Engineering Institute, "Acquisition Archetypes: Firefighting," Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, 1-Mar-2008 [Online]. Available: https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/acquisition-archetypes-firefighting/. [Accessed: 8-Aug-2026].

Software Engineering Institute. "Acquisition Archetypes: Firefighting." Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute, 1 Mar. 2008. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/acquisition-archetypes-firefighting/. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Software Engineering Institute. Acquisition Archetypes: Firefighting. Software Engineering Institute. 2008. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/acquisition-archetypes-firefighting/