Widget and Mobile Technologies a Forcing Function for Acquisition Change: Paradigm Shift Without Leaving Bodies Behind

Abstract

The Department of Defense (DoD) software acquisition policy struggles to adapt to the emerging trend of delivering lightweight applications on demand via application store technologies. The commercial world has evolved to where it now provides a constant stream of capabilities allowing customers to customize their information/communication devices with numerous applications. DoD-created solutions are often inflexibly designed with limited adaptability due to requirements for reliability, communications security, and absolute need for accuracy. Because of this, acquisition processes are needed that allow warfighters to take advantage of the rich Internet applications and Web 2.0 technologies currently available to the average consumer. This paper identifies processes for employing a DoD application store that delivers software in a rapid, secure, and reliable manner. Leveraging the government-developed open source Ozone Widget Framework, web applications are developed and registered to a single repository. The warfighter can discover, access, and compose these web applications from the Ozone Marketplace. To promote innovation and foster collaboration between the DoD and industry, the application stores in the DoD should include separate industry trial and demonstration sections. Industry partners can upload capabilities for demonstration/trial by the government and allow program offices to evaluate applications with the goal of selecting capabilities for Programs of Record.