Project Description

I.    Objectives:  Traditionally, system requirements have been the first order of business for defense acquisition. Recent trends such as human-intensive, net-centric systems, involving commercial components and services and rapid change, have created a need to determine alternatives to pre-specifying complete requirements at the beginning. It is important to evaluate the “how” concurrently with the “what” and the “how well.” This research has advanced MPTs for representing and evolving requirements within increasingly net-centric enterprises needing both to manage their internal systems and missions, and to successfully evolve interface requirements with independently evolving external systems and enterprises. An initial prototyping and analysis phase was executed, followed by experimentation with a representative enterprise’s experience data in tailoring and evaluating an appropriate combination of MPTs for their particular situation and missions.

II.    Approach:  The project had two 6-month phases.  
-    Phase 1 specified (i) prototypes of representative capabilities and case study analyses of more and less successful requirements engineering experiences, and (ii) a draft architecture, prototype, and rationale for a recommended enterprise requirements engineering solution approach with an initial set of associated MPTs.  
-    Phase 2 created and enhanced MPTs for the architectural framework, performed detailed supporting case study analyses, and validated research findings and products with subject matter experts from relevant user communities.

III.    Project Deliverables:  Technical report

IV.    Application: This research has been applied in case study settings.  Primary applications include a multi-jurisdictional regional crisis management system and a multi-facility jail information management system

V.    Significant Research Findings & Products:  Significant findings and products include
-    A methodological framework for managing capabilities and requirements in an evolving net-centric enterprise
-    A taxonomy for evolving system integrations
-    A capabilities-to-requirements engineering methodology
-    A requirements-to-architectures methodology
-    A prototype social media-based tool
-    A prototype tool for the integration matrix implemented using wiki-based technology
-    A case study to identify best practices
-    A capability and gap analysis of commercially available tools for systems integration in net-centric enterprises