A Technical History of the SEI

Adopting New Technical Approaches for Acquisition
The SEI continually evaluates new technologies and methods for their applicability to DoD acquisition
programs, and collaborates with DoD and program leadership to effectively address and appropriately
integrate these innovations.
Agile methods: In recent years, as Agile methods have matured, DoD contractors have begun
building internal Agile capabilities and initiated pilot usage efforts on DoD programs. Formal
DoD guidance, templates, and best practices have lagged and are not yet in place to address the
incorporation of these methods. The SEI has engaged in extensive research to identify lessons
learned across commercial and multiple DoD programs on the application of Agile methods and
has especially focused on the regulatory and policy environment surrounding DoD acquisitions.
Over the last several years, the SEI team has established a key leadership position in the DoD and
contractor community and leveraged this research to deliver technical notes 1,2,3, educational
courses and materials, webinars, conference presentations, and direct program support to DoD
programs. The objective of these outreach efforts is to educate acquisition professionals about the
integration of Agile methods into programs and the successful management of contractor relationships
when these techniques are employed.
Service-oriented architecture (SOA) and business/acquisition systems: The SEI worked with the
Air Force to demonstrate service-oriented architecture concepts by leading a team of technical experts
from several Air Force financial management programs of record in specifying, designing,
and prototyping a foundational service: a Program Master Relation Key (PMRK) service. PMRK
had the potential to become the authoritative source of the Acquisition Program Master List and
correctly link authoritative data from each system into an integrated picture of Air Force acquisitions.
This effort demonstrated the positive effects that a “disruptive” technology like SOA could
have on acquisition processes and how SOA might be used to resolve the limitations inherent in
stove-piped legacy business systems.
Support to Policy and Leadership Projects
The SEI is a trusted advisor on matters of software-related policy and leadership.
Technology Readiness Assessments (TRAs): At the request of SAF/AQ, the SEI has provided team
members for independent review teams/panels to support a large number of TRAs on space, command
and control (C2), avionics, and weapons systems programs since 2007. In FY08-09, additional
SEI staff participated on the TD-1-12 (Air Force Smart Operations–21, Developing and
Sustaining Warfighting Systems Core Process) team to develop recommendations on improving
the use of TRAs when considering software. The SEI staff involved in these efforts identified the
1 Agile Methods: Selected DoD Management and Acquisition Concerns,
http://resources.sei.cmu.edu/library/asset-view.cfm?AssetID=9769
2 SEI Agile Research Forum: Agile Methods: Agile Methods: Tools, Techniques, and Practices for
the DoD Community, http://resources.sei.cmu.edu/library/asset-view.cfm?assetID=21728
3 Considerations for Using Agile in DoD Acquisition, http://resources.sei.cmu.edu/library/assetview.cfm?AssetID=9273
CMU/SEI-2016-SR-027 | SOFTWARE ENGINEERING INSTITUTE | CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
Distribution Statement A: Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited
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