Ensuring software supportability during acquisition: an Air Force case study

Active consideration of software support during acquisition, or development, is tantamount to successful software support. A key objective of the Air Force's new Integrated Weapon System Management (IWSM) philosophy is to ensure software supportability by making the same organization responsible for both software development and software support. A thesis effort performed at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in 1993 assessed whether IWSM could meet this objective and what practices would result in improved software supportability. A literature review and survey of several programs designated as IWSM pilot programs concluded that the IWSM concept is indeed superior for software supportability, and that several practices used by the organizations surveyed can enhance supportability. Furthermore, the surveys and literature review suggested several additional practices that can further enhance the effectiveness of IWSM. A product of the AFIT study is a set of guidelines for ensuring supportability of software for IWSM systems. Although these guidelines were written specifically for IWSM, they will help all software managers more effectively consider software support during acquisition.<>