Operational Test in Agile Development: Vetted Capability at the Speed of Relevance

Abstract

The traditional Operational Test process and timeline are no longer sufficient to keep pace within an Agile software development environment. Agile development requires Operational Test to be just as agile while still ensuring the adequacy and sufficiency required to keep the Fleet’s trust in new capabilities. In order to accomplish this, we recommend five initiatives that will help the current OT&E process. Those initiatives are: The “Pulverizer,” an agile TEMP, universal test plan working group, an integrated operational test assessment, and a dedicated annual OT&E period. These initiatives make the bureaucratic requirements for OT&E much more streamlined and agile. It ensures an annual schedule all stakeholders can work towards and drive down many of the important OT&E decisions to the test squadron level.