Product Line Acquisition in a DoD Organization -- Guidance for Decision Makers

摘要

In the Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition environment, many organizations have not seriously considered adopting a product line approach or are reluctant to because it is not a well-understood acquisition paradigm. Nonetheless, a compelling case can be made for adopting a product line approach because it addresses a problem facing many program managers today -- how to cost-effectively acquire, develop, and maintain a set of related software- intensive systems, and how to respond to the needs of greater product agility in the face of the current DoD transformation. This technical note chronicles the decisions a program manager might face in considering the adoption of a product line approach. The report uses a hypothetical acquisition to focus on why an acquisition organization should consider adopting a product line approach -- instead of the traditional stovepipe approach -- when acquiring a number of software-intensive systems that have a lot in common. The note provides program managers with insight into the many benefits of adopting a product line approach, and examines alternative acquisition approaches for acquiring a product line capability. Specifically, the note provides guidance on four basic decisions a DoD acquisitions program manager must make in adopting a product line approach for acquiring software-intensive systems: (1) What is the definition of the software product line for an organization; (2) What product line acquisition approaches can or should an organization take; (3) What are the decisions a manager must make in adopting the product line approach; and (4) What are the benefits, challenges, and risks of the product line approach.