From the Editor-in-Chief A


BACK TALK


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t the time this column is being penned, President Obama has signed a bill delaying sequestration until March 1. Whatever happens next,


one thing is sure: Budgets are not getting any bigger. More than ever, the Army Acquisition community is challenged to get the absolute most out of our programs, both in meeting requirements and in finding cost efficiencies.


Tis issue of Army AL&T Magazine is


dedicated to how our Acquisition Workforce is implementing the tenets of “Agile Acquisition,” aka the Agile Process, which breaks development into a series of short test processes leading to a usable product at the end of each iteration that can be quickly evaluated and modified, if necessary, for operational use.


In the past, large projects were developed using a sequential design process, or Waterfall Model. Tis model sees progress as flowing steadily down- ward, like a waterfall through distinct phases: conception, initiation, analysis, design, construc- tion,


testing, production/implementation, and


maintenance. At the conclusion of each phase comes a formal milestone review, conducted as a capstone event along with user validation.


CORRECTION In the July-September 2012 issue of Army AL&T Magazine, the article “A Strong Lens” incorrectly described the makeup of the Army Configuration Steering Board (CSB). Te CSB is chaired solely by the Army Acquisition Executive. Te Vice Chief of Staff of the Army is a member of the CSB.


In the Waterfall Model, integration and test- ing represent a phase separate from the others, which can lead to significant delays and cost overruns if problems are found. Tere is only one product release at the end of testing. In this highly structured, stovepipe environment, after- the-fact changes are prohibitively costly, if not impossible to implement.


Enter Agile Acquisition. One of the primary dif- ferences between the Waterfall Model and the Agile Process is the frequency of usable releases. Breaking down the development phase into short processes that quickly produce a func- tional product helps agile teams learn about


Examples of the Army’s use of Agile Acquisition methods abound. Consider, for example, how the Army is saving time and money while delivering


vital computing capabilities as


described, in the article “A Fast-Moving Cloud.” See how continuous improvements are made to the tactical communications backbone in


“Evolving the Network,” and learn how multiple systems have been brought together and tested under real-world conditions at the most recent Network Integration Evaluation, NIE 13.1.


Also in this issue, the Honorable Heidi Shyu lays out a new 30-year strategic modernization planning process in “Planning Ahead.” As the Cheshire cat said in Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland,” “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.” Unguided agility will get you nowhere, which is why Shyu provides much-needed direction for the future of our Agile Acquisition efforts.


Finally, this issue presents the results of our biennial magazine survey. We had a significant response rate and, overall, the comments were favorable, affirming that Army AL&T Magazine is delivering the coverage and details you need to stay abreast of current issues in the acquisition world. But please don’t wait for the next survey to tell us what you think. If, at any time, you have a suggestion about coverage or want


to submit an article, contact me at armyalt@gmail.com.


Nelson McCouch III Editor-in-Chief


ii Army AL&T Magazine January–March 2013


integration and testing issues very early in the project, instead of at the end.


Tese lessons learned can benefit future devel- opment. Tus, the scope of work can be added to, priorities can be revised, and deliverables can be modified and fielded much faster. With continual user participation and feedback, the customer ultimately receives an improved prod- uct much sooner at a better price.


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