Facilitating Decision Making, Re-Use and Collaboration: A Knowledge Management Approach to Acquisition Program Self-Awareness

Abstract

Decades of reform have been largely ineffective at improving the efficiency of the Department of Defense (DoD) Acquisition System. Such inefficiency is, in part, due to complex processes and stovepipe activities that result in duplication of effort, lack of re-use and limited collaboration on related development efforts. This research applies Knowledge Management (KM) concepts and methodologies to the DoD acquisition enterprise to increase Program Self-awareness (Gallup & MacKinnon, 2008, p. 2). This research supports the implementation of reform initiatives such as Capability Portfolio Management and Open Systems Architecture, which share the common objectives of reducing duplication of effort and promoting collaboration and re-use of components. The DoD Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Program will be used as a test case to apply KM tools to identify duplication and/or gaps in the features of select MDA technologies. This paper may also provide the foundation for future development of the Program Self-awareness concept and KM tools to support decision-making and to improve the effectiveness of the DoD Acquisition System.