‘Required’ Reading: Latest Army AL&T magazine online
By Steve Stark
FORT BELVOIR, Va. (June 30, 2015) — The newest edition of Army AL&T magazine is all about requirements and in keeping with the theme, this “required” reading is now available online.
In Army acquisition, everything begins with requirements, with all facets of a system or service examined through the lens of doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities—DOTMLPF—which is why Army AL&T spoke with Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins, director of the TRADOC’s Army Capabilities Integration Center Requirements Integration Directorate. Read how ARCIC is working to bring all stakeholders into the development of requirements in “From Concept to Delivery,” on page 12.
Sometimes, the DOTMLPF-requirements process gets short-circuited to an extent, as was the case with quick-reaction capabilities (QRCs) that were rushed to the battlefield to meet urgent needs. But now, as those QRCs make their way into programs of record, they must have requirements. It’s not as easy as it sounds. Read “Getting Requirements Right,” on Page 68.
Not only do programs have their requirements, but testing systems has its requirements. And if requirements can creep, so can testing. Find out how the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program team put the kibosh on test requirements creep in “Killing the ‘Creep,’ ” on Page 31.
The military isn’t the only organization that has to deal with requirements. That’s why Army AL&T talked with chemical company Arkema Inc.’s research and development honcho, Dr. Ryan Dirkx. You may not have heard of Arkema, but you could very well be using its products. In the United States, its best-known brand is Plexiglas, and its first-of-a-kind Kynar coating is the reason you never see skyscrapers being painted. The industry standard recently saw its 50th anniversary and still hasn’t lost its color or luster. Read about it in “Critical Thinking,” Page 78.
How does a self-appointed “recovering terrible briefer” learn how to leave a briefing with his audience informed and his self-respect intact? In this case, by creating his own “12-step program.” Read his recommendations on Page 110 in “Communicating Decisively.”
And how did the new civilian product directors get where they are? It turns out that there can be a variety of roads to the same place. Read about those roads on Page 120 in “Paths to Acquisition Success.”
Army AL&T magazine, produced by the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center, is a quarterly professional journal comprising in-depth, analytically focused articles. The magazine’s mission is to instruct members of the Army AL&T community about AL&T processes, procedures, techniques and management philosophy; it is also to disseminate information pertinent to the professional development of workforce members and others engaged in AL&T activities. The magazine is available in hard copy, online and as an app for iOS and Android devices. Subscribe to the magazine to be added to the mailing list.
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