Creative Problem Solving in a Fast-Paced, Guidance-Rich Environment.

摘要

The core cog of the fast-paced DARPA machine is the program manager. Talent is selected from academia, industry and government to lead pivotal early investments in innovation. One element of DARPA's environment about which all program managers are acutely aware is the mandatory short-term service that typically lasts two to five years. No one can escape the short service periods because DARPA is always searching for fresh perspectives. The mandate for short- term service extends to technical office directors and the director of DARPA. This is intentional and is the driving force behind the agency's fast pace. It motivates performance and is central to DARPA's rapid business practices, but presents the agency with unique challenges, including the risk management and thinking required to take on and resolve complex problems. Program managers are surrounded by teams of experts to support their ideas and project development. These teams are diverse and represent specialties ranging from contracting and budget management to technical expertise. The agency's fast-paced, revolutionary work demands forethought and is a major reason these teams have such diversity but also why they must think through numerous problem sets at the earliest inception of a program.