A Framework for Reuse in the DoN

Abstract

Reuse offers the possibility of increasing engineering productivity, efficiency, and software quality while simultaneously reducing the cost of building software-intensive systems. The application of reuse has been around for many years and the DoD has made concerted efforts to implement reuse strategies since the early 90s. Although there are many excellent examples of its implementation throughout the Navy, efforts to implement software reuse strategies at an enterprise level have not matured enough to reap large-scale benefits. In the current fiscal climate of budget reductions and mandates for efficiencies, changes in acquisition, engineering, and business processes will require an enterprise reuse strategy that provides clear guidance, incentives, and compliance mechanisms. This paper discusses the current state of reuse within the DoN and proposes an implementation framework for a strategy-driven reuse approach.