PEO AICS and PAINS, DAU’s Senior Dynamic Cross-Functional Multi-Program Leadership Simulation

Abstract

In support of Mission Assist efforts with several major acquisition programs, the Defense Systems Management College (DSMC) developed a simulation emulating a fictional portfolio of multi-program schema within a program executive officer (PEO) organizational structure. This simulation poses challenges to participants in two areas: (1) Maintaining situational awareness relative to self, own team, and overall team-of-teams dynamics in navigating a real-time volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) environment, and; (2) stretching cross-functional acquisition expertise by exploring numerous challenges posed by the simulated. The organization is called PEO Advanced Integrated Combat Systems and PAssive INtelligence System, or PEO AICS and PAINS. The authors, along with their team, used an action research approach. Twelve lessons learned are noted from the almost two dozen times in various venues the simulation has been run. The simulation recently replaced Looking Glass within the PMT-401 course as the capstone simulation. Overall, the simulation provides a train-as-you-fight environment that is proving to be very useful for mid- and senior-level acquisition work force training.