Leveraging the Acquisition Assurance Method (AAM) and the
Solution Architecture Innovation Lab (SAIL) to improve IT
Program effectiveness and efficiency
Kevin Carroll
ICH Fellow
IT-AAC, Vice Chair
A not-for-profit research institute
Kevin.Carroll@ICHnet.org
703 768 0400 www.ICHnet.org
www.IT-AAC.org
ICHnet.org Company Confidential
Current DoD processes & resources are not optimized
PMs Feel….
Overwhelmed by offerings
Cycle Times to Assess
Tech Hype vs. Reality
Interoperability:
Common Vocabulary?
What Past Studies Tell us:
• Fast paced IT market undermines traditional government research and
assessment efforts (AF SAB 00)
• DoDAF lacks theoretical foundation
for C4ISR Systems (ICCRTS 07)
• No formal mechanism of deriving COTS selection criteria from Business Reference
Model (IAC EA SIG 03)
• No body of knowledge from which PM can
judge competing IT offerings (ECCWG
Report 99)
• No mechanisms for assessing risks, composability or interoperability of
commercial solution (AF SAB Report 00)
• Current acquisition mechanisms result in
80% failure rates of major IT programs
(CMS IC CIO 03)
ICHnet.org Company Confidential
MilSpec Architecture, Assessment & Acquisition methods need to be adapted for the fast paced IT market!
Major Federal IT programs fail between 72-80% (GAO, IDG, Gartner), resulting in over
$40B/year in avoidable waste. Past studies say;
Revamp Governance and Solution Assessment processes to accommodate new paradigms in both War Fighting and Business Operations. (DSB 09)
Budget pressures drive Reusable & Standardized Solution Architectures, Performance Metrics and Assessment Results. Reuse can significantly reduce cost, risk and cycle times. (OMB report on Solution Architecture Integration Lab)
DoD Leadership demanding Independent Architectures (DSB 08) & Technology Clearinghouse
(NDAA 08) that transparently captures innovations and stake holder needs.
Evidence from early adopters of the Acquisition Assurance Method show 70% reduction in cycle times, greater transparency and prevention of over specification. (AAM implementation results at SAF/XC, Navy PEO C4I, USMC CIO, PTO, GPO, GSA)
08 National Defense Authorization Act directed the creation of a Technology Clearinghouse, yet special interests failed to leverage ICH’s proven capabilities.
“It ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new” Nicolai Machiavelli
ICHnet.org Company Confidential
3
Proven, recommended, and on GSA Schedule 70 & MOBIS
Acquisition Assessment Method enables objective assessments and alignment of requirements, capabilities, services and solutions processes
– proven to mitigate risk, OCI, and complexities of fast paced IT Market.
–
Comply with Clinger Cohen Act directive to avoid duplication of effort
– Aligns and integrates disparate architecture and acquisition decision points
Solution Architecture Innovation Lab (SAIL): a UL like virtual resource that incorporates assessment results and expertise of multiple labs in academia and industry.
– Standardized solution templates for E-Gov, IT Infrastructure, Cyber-Security, E-
Health/EHR
–
Acquisition- ready performance metrics and service levels agreement (SLAs)
–
Technology Feasibility/Risk Assessment. Verify technology readiness levels and maturity.
– Solution Architecture research and configuration guides that expose available COTS, Open
Source solutions
IT Advisory and Best Practice Outreach : a public/private think tanks created to drive sustainable IT Acquisition Reform.
– Organic structure for tapping into real world best practices & lessons learned
–
Leverages expertise from academia, standards bodies, innovators and COIs needed to mentor major IT programs.
– “Grey Beard Peer Review” that guides agencies around mine fields and pot holes. Guide the administration in establishing effective policies that leverages best practices and lessons learned
ICHnet.org Company Confidential
Requirements & Capability Analysis
Analysis of Alternatives
Enterprise, Service Oriented and Solution Architectures
Performance Metrics and Service Level Agreement
Technology Readiness Level Assessments
Vendor/Technology Maturity and Interoperability Assessment
Business Case Analysis
Value Stream Analysis
LEAN Six Sigma
ICHnet.org Company Confidential
Reusable Solution Architectures
Business Domains
Health IT
Cyber Security
E-Business and ERP
IT Infrastructure
Information Sharing
Technical Domains
Netcentric IT Infrastructure
Middleware
Service Oriented Architecture enabling technologies
Cloud Computing
Cross Domain Solutions
Server Based Computing, Thin Client
Enterprise Information Portals
ID Management and Privacy tools
Information Security
ICHnet.org Company Confidential
Office of the Secretary of Defense, DCIO (2001) ”Since the value of the ICH to our programs increases rapidly through results sharing, we encourage the defense community and IT industry to participate directly in the public service initiative in terms of sponsorship and lessons learned"
7
ICH Value Prop: Information Sharing and Collaboration reduces time, cost and risk of redundant IT research and validation efforts
High S.A.I.L.
Cost/time
Delta
Acceptable Risk Level
Risk
Delta
Project A
Project B
Project C Inconclusive findings
Low
Strategy Architecture Discover Validation Acquisition Implementation
Validation Resources (cost & time line)
Redundant Market Research and Testing
SAIL Collaborative Research and Validation
ICHnet.org Company Confidential
Policy Value Chain:
Agency Leadership, Congress, GAO & OMB
Assuring compliance to law
Provides view into agency IT planning process
Establishes metrics for mission fulfillment
Aligns IT Capital investment with Agency Mission
Leverages industry best practices/lessons learned
Gain access to industry expertise outside of lobbying/marketing arena.
Catalyst for advancing President’s Management Agenda
Congress, Agency
Auditors
Leadership: COO’s, CFO’s
ICHnet.org Company Confidential
Requirements Value Chain:
Enterprise Users (CIO, CTO, Architects, PMs)
Validating Requirements into Measurable Capabilities
IT Management:
CIO/CTO/CAO:
Validate and Prioritize Requirements w/ business driven metrics
Identifies viable COTS/Open Source solutions, including small/innovative offerings
Establish Open Architectures and market readiness
Model/leverage relevant industry best practices, lessons learned
Assist in “what if” Modeling and Analysis of Alternatives
Provides In-Context, Just-In-Time Research Data via many communities of practice
Acquisition Strategies that have proven to deliver value and hold suppliers accountable Congress, Agency
Leadership: COO’s, CFO’s
Auditors
ICHnet.org Company Confidential
SI Value Chain:
Solution Integrator & Consultants
Validating competing solution architectures
IT Management:
CIO/CTO/CAO:
Congress, Agency
Leadership: COO’s, CFO’s
Auditors
Integrators
Provides Solid Evidence for making COTS decisions
Shares Integration Success Record with Agency Planning process w/out
OCI concerns
Finds Potential COTS Component Matches Based on Prior Similar Context
Successes. ID small/innovative solution providers
Provides “What If” Modeling and Analysis for component composition
Provides Design Differentiation to Enhance Value Proposition to
Customers
Outsource market research to conflict free entity
ICHnet.org Company Confidential
Value Chain Benefit:
Standards Bodies, Academia and Industry Groups
Aligning the theory of standards w/ market realities
IT Management:
CIO/CTO/CAO:
Integrators
Captures Use-Cases that Support and Justify Standards
Use of standards/Engineering Spec in vetting of COTS solutions
Links Pertinent Standards to Products Features/functions
Provides Dynamic, but Solid Compliance Record (A119)
Enable collaboration between disparate industry groups
Provide IP and resources for framing complex issues.
SDOs, Academia &
Industry Groups
Congress, Agency
Leadership: COO’s, CFO’s
Auditors
ICHnet.org Company Confidential
Innovators Value Chain: VARs, COTS vendors,
Component Builders, Innovative Businesses
Defining the realm of the possible and innovations
IT Management:
CIO/CTO/CAO:
Integrators
SDOs, Academia &
Industry Groups
Provide Buyers with the Contextualized Product Information in terms of business fit, interoperability and security.
Certifies Vendor Past Performance Based on 3rd-Party
Validation/History in an architecture context
Increased Buyer’s Chances for Successful Use of Vendor
Product --> Successful implementation!
Generates normalized COTS solution blue prints
Normalized Spec &
Customer References
Congress, Agency
Leadership: COO’s, CFO’s
Auditors
Open Market Place
Integration Partners
Reduced cost of sale
VARs, COTS Vendors,
Component Builders
Small Businesses
ICHnet.org Company Confidential