Composing Complex Capability: The Stakeholder Driven Development Framework

Abstract

The National Security and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Division (NSID) of the Defence Science and Technology Group (DST Group) is involved in the research, development and fielding of program strategies to grow complex capabilities in support of Integrated ISR. More recently, NSID has developed a framework of ideas, stratagems and methodologies aimed at composing complex capability. This framework, termed the Stakeholder Driven Development Framework (SDDF), allows incremental growth of complex capabilities in a measured and balanced manner; “measured” in terms of having a regard for progressive and stable growth of realisable aspects of the complex capability and “balanced” to reflect the risk based facilitation processes between stakeholder priorities and program complexities. It is based on a set of foundational principles that provide the rules of practice for complex capability development. The SDDF utilises systems thinking, is tightly coupled with stakeholder interaction and comprises progressive cycles of analysis, synthesis and assessment. It analyses the problem space from different worldviews, thereby providing a more comprehensive understanding from which to select a mix of methodologies to synthesise solution options. The aim is to deliver stakeholder mediated and facilitated candidate solutions.