Modeling the Integration of Open Systems and Evolutionary Acquisition in DoD Programs

Abstract

Open systems and evolutionary acquisition are two recent innovations designed to improve program performance with flexibility. The full potential of these approaches has not been captured, partially because of integration challenges during implementation. The current work investigates the impacts of open systems and evolutionary acquisition on DoD development programs. Development changes required to simultaneously use open systems and evolutionary acquisition are used to identify and describe impacts of implementation on program process and management. A dynamic simulation model of a program using both evolutionary acquisition and open systems is described and used to map these impacts. Simulation results generally support the suggested impacts identified in the literature and provide a possible explanation for changes in program performance. Implications for practice relate to changes in the types and timing of risk and a potential trading of design obsolescence risk for standards obsolescence risk.