Complex Acquisition Requirements Analysis Using a Systems Engineering Approach

Abstract

The technology revolution over the last several decades has compounded system complexity with the integration of multispectral sensors and interactive command and control systems, making requirements development more challenging for the acquisition community. The imperative to start programs right with effective requirements is becoming more critical.Research indicates the Department of Defense lacks consistent knowledge as to which attributes would best enable more informed trade-offs. This research examines prioritized requirement attributes to account for program complexities, using the expert judgement of a diverse and experienced panel of acquisition professionals from the Air Force, Army, Navy, industry, and additional government organizations. This article provides a guide for today's acquisition leaders to establish effective and prioritized requirements for complex and unconstrained systems needed for informed trade-off decisions.The results found the key attribute for unconstrained systems is "achievable" and verified a list of seven critical attributes for complex systems. Recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports outline concerns with requirements development. One study found programs with unachievable requirements cause program managers to trade away performance and found that informed trade-offs between cost and capability establish better defined requirements (GAO, 2015a(GAO, , 2015b. In another key report, the GAO noted that the Department of Defense could benefit from ranking or prioritizing requirements based on significance (GAO, 2011).Establishing a key list of prioritized attributes that supports requirements development enables the assessment of program requirements and increases focus on priority attributes that aid in requirements and design trade-off decisions. The focus of this research is to define and prioritize requirements attributes that support requirements development across a spectrum of system types for decision makers. Some industry and government programs are becoming more connected and complex while others are geographically dispersed yet integrated, thus creating the need for more concentrated approaches to capture prioritized requirements attributes.The span of control of the program manager can range from low programmatic authority to highly dependent systems control. For example, the program manager for a national emergency command and control center typically has low authority to influence cost, schedule, and performance at the local, state, and tribal level, yet must enable a broader, national unconstrained systems capability. On the opposite end of the spectrum are complex, dependent systems. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's program manager has highly dependent control of that program, and the program is complex as DoD is building variants for the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, as well as multiple foreign countries.Complex and unconstrained systems are becoming more prevalent. There needs to be increased focus on complex and unconstrained systems r...

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