Leading Practices: Iterative Cycles Enable Rapid Delivery of Complex Innovative Products

Abstract

The Department of Defense is increasingly acquiring complex products, such as combined networks of hardware and software, which require innovative processes to design, produce, and deliver. GAO has found that to consistently deliver new warfighting capabilities with speed, acquisition programs for cyber-physical systems, such as aircraft and uncrewed vehicles—must adopt new approaches to its acquisition structure. Solutions, though, are unlikely to originate exclusively within government. Rather, identifying the practices that leading companies rely on to deliver new cyber-physical products can provide crucial, cutting-edge information to acquisition leaders and, in turn, ultimately help DOD frame changes to its acquisition processes. This presentation will focus on GAO’s recent work on innovative practices that can inform DOD’s ongoing efforts to improve acquisition performance. The presentation will also draw on GAO’s annual weapon systems assessments to discuss how DOD is beginning to implement some of these principles and practices.