# Presentation: 591555

## Maturing IT Projects in a Distributed Environment

- Brenda Coblentz, DOE/OCIO
- April 27, 2004

**Notes:**
Agencies are currently addressing the requirements of OMB Circular A-130  “Management of Federal Information Resources,” OMB Circular A-11 “Preparation and Submission of Budget Estimates,” and agency directives on “Program and Project Management for the Acquisition of Capital Assets,” in the areas of Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC) and Enterprise Architecture (EA).  The System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a very important component these processes.  
The SDLC activities not only encompass project management, engineering, and quality assurance but also metrics (including earned value), reviews (including post-implementation reviews), and senior-level management and control processes. Good software quality and systems engineering processes are necessary to ensure agencies acquire and maintain the required capabilities to meet business objectives (strategic goals) and to meet the planning and reporting expectations of OMB. 

##  SDLC Supports OMB Initiatives

- CPIC

- OMB Models

- Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

- eGOV

- FEA

- Project Management

- Federal CIO Council

**OMB Initiatives  **

- 2nd Annual Census SEPG Conference

- 4/27/04

**Notes:**
The SDLC, carried out through competent Project Management, is the primary vehicle by which Information and Technology Management (1) projects are executed and IT solutions implemented.
Components of the SDLC, i.e., system/solution development, IT infrastructure management, IT security, etc., need to be fully integrated with the OMB driven initiatives implemented at agencies, specifically CPIC and EA.
Definitions:
FEA – Federal Enterprise Architecture
CPIC – Capital Planning and Investment Control
eGOV – Electronic government initiatives
OMB Models:
BRM – Business Reference Model
TRM – Technical Reference Model
SRM – Service Component Reference Model
PRM – Performance Reference Model (coming soon)
DRM – Data and Information Reference Model (coming soon)

(1). Figure 6, “The Management of Government Resources” Business Area, OMB Business Reference Model

##  SDLC and the OMB BRM

**System/Solution Development and Maintenance**

**Investment  Conceived**

**Bus.  Case**

**Implementation Decision**

**SDLC**

**“****Management of Government Resources” Business Area**
**“****Information and Technology Management” Business Line**

**Earned Value**

**Post  Impl.  Review (PIR)****     **

**    ****Metrics Management**

** ****Integration with       CPIC and EA**

**Earned Value**
**      ****(EV)**

**Project Management**

- 2nd Annual Census SEPG Conference

- 4/27/04

**Notes:**
This shows SDLC’s fit within CPIC and EA processes, identified in the chart as Investment Conceived, Business Case, and Implementation Decision.  The SDLC is the set of IT Framework component processes which address the entire project and system/solution development and maintenance lifecycle “womb to tomb”.  Agencies need a robust software quality and systems engineering effort that addresses basic project management, quality assurance and systems engineering practices for improving management of the agency’s IT projects.  

## The OMB Federal Enterprise Architecture Business Reference Model (BRM)

**SDLC**

- 2nd Annual Census SEPG Conference

- 4/27/04

**Notes:**
Here is the BRM.  Components of the SDLC are identified in the bottom layer, within the “Information and Technology Management” Business Line, under the “Management of Government Resources” Business Area.  In this area, the agency CIOs are uniquely the leader and they need to invest in this area to maintain recognition of their leadership.
Services for CitizensDescribes the mission and purpose of the United States government in terms of the services it provides both to and on behalf of the American citizen. 
Mode of DeliveryDescribes the mechanisms the government uses to achieve the purpose of government, or its Services to Citizens. 
Support Delivery of ServicesProvides the critical policy, programmatic and managerial Foundation to support federal government operations.
Management of Government ResourcesRefers to the back office support activities that enable the government to operate effectively.  Within the area of Information and Technology Management, OCIO responsibilities include:
Information Management	IT Infrastructure Maintenance
IT Security		Lifecycle/Change Management
Record Retention	System Development
System Maintenance

## From: A Practical Guide to Federal Enterprise Architecture, CIO Council, V1, 02/01 – chart 1

- 2nd Annual Census SEPG Conference

- 4/27/04

**Notes:**
This chart, from “A Practical Guide to Federal Enterprise Architecture,” CIO Council, Version 1, February 2001, shows how the Systems Life Cycle (a.k.a. SDLC) plays a large role, within the overall framework, which includes Enterprise Architecture and Capital Planning and Investment Control.
The SDLC is part of a three-legged stool composed of CPIC, EA, and the SDLC.  To quote OMB Circular No. A-130, paragraph 8 Policy, in the first paragraph of the question “What is the Enterprise Architecture,” it reads ... “The EA must also provide a strategy that will enable the agency to support its current state and also act as the roadmap for transition to its target environment.  These transition processes will include an agency’s capital planning and investment control processes, agency EA planning processes, and agency systems lifecycle methodologies”. 

## From: A Practical Guide to Federal Enterprise Architecture, CIO Council, V1, 02/01 – chart 2

- 6.1 Integrate the EA with CPIC and SDLC Processes
- Investment management and systems development/acquisition are closely linked with the EA processes. The agency should only make investments that move the agency toward the target architecture and these investment decisions should comply with the sequencing plan. _The EA, CPIC, and SLC (systems life cycle) processes are integrated_ to best suit the agency’s particular organization, culture, and internal management practices. Certain basic relationships exist between these functions and they have a common focus: the effective and efficient management of IT investments.  _The dialogue across CPIC, SLC, and EA processes is continuous, cooperative, and facilitated by agency commitment to an integrated process_.  Details of this relationship between management processes and the capital planning and investment control process are discussed in the *Architecture Alignment and Assessment Guide* and the *Smart Practices in Capital Planning* document.

- 2nd Annual Census SEPG Conference

- 4/27/04

**Notes:**
Here again, from “A Practical Guide to Federal Enterprise Architecture,” shows the importance of an agency commitment to an integration of EA, CPIC, and SDLC processes to achieve effective and efficient management of IT investments.
The SDLC, CPIC, and EA processes complement, and are integrated with each other.  The EA strategy identifies the “as is” and “to be” states for the enterprise’s systems architecture.  Once IT investments are identified, approved and funded, the SDLC processes are executed (primarily during the Control Phase of the CPIC Process) to bring projects and solutions through to implementation.  Throughout various stages of the SDLC, assessments are performed to validate that the system development/solution design is in compliance with the EA strategy and requirements.

## From: A Practical Guide to Federal Enterprise Architecture, CIO Council, V1, 02/01 – chart 3

**SDLC**

- 2nd Annual Census SEPG Conference

- 4/27/04

**Notes:**
This chart shows an example of a CPIC and architecture management process developed by the U.S. Customs Service.  This type of framework enables compliance with the EA and the necessary governance for enterprise lifecycle management activities. 
The SDLC is exercised primarily in the CONTROL phase, but touches all of the areas highlighted in blue. 

## Focus of Software Quality and Systems Engineering Program

- Provide targeted products and services to help an agency meet business objectives, statutory and OMB requirements, and agency directives by:
- Mature IT solution development and maintenance processes (Project Management, Engineering, Quality Assurance)
- Strengthen performance definition and reporting (policy, guidance, metrics, and assessment)
- Integrate SDLC with CPIC and EA

- 2nd Annual Census SEPG Conference

- 4/27/04

**Notes:**
In January 1997, the DOE Software Quality and Systems Engineering program began its journey to maturing the Department.  The SEI SW-CMM was selected as the benchmark.  The initial focus was on basic project management processes as established by the SEI SW-CMM Level 2 process areas.  The DOE SEM needed to be marketed.  Activities to implement the SEM and program included an endorsement memo from the CIO, endorsement resolution from the Corporate Guidance Group, formal training, and piloting.  Resources were provided to assist in the implementation of the SEM.  In 2000, the program was upgraded to incorporate Level 3 process areas.  
The major industry organizations and standards used at DOE are SEI, IEEE, and ISO.  The program and SEM incorporates what is being used by the IT community.  In 2000, the PGMA model was developed to provide authority to the program and its goals.   
Current focus is integrating the SDLC activities with CPIC and EA, particularly in the areas of Metrics Management, Post Implementation Reviews, Earned Value, and Project Management. Most of these activities fall in the “control” phase of the CPIC process. Robust capability in these areas is necessary to ensure DOE achieves the required capabilities to meet IT business objectives and OMB expectations. 

## Examples of Projects Piloting the SEM and Program’s Resources    

- Pilot
- NMMSS
- EC-Web
- APPLIX Help Desk
- X.500 Directory
- Outlook
- Product/Services
- Quality Assurance Representative
- SEM, checklists, and templates
- QA processes (SW, ISA, and Stage Exits)
- Outcome
- Extreme satisfaction by the system owner
- Great reviews by the project manager

- 2nd Annual Census SEPG Conference

- 4/27/04

**Notes:**
The SEM was piloted on projects of different sizes and complexity.  Experienced project managers were used to pilot the SEM and the program’s products.  An independent quality assurance representative reviewed the processes and products using the SEM as the basis for the evaluations.   The intent of the program is that the resources provide enough guidance to enable a fairly knowledgeable project manager to proceed on her/his own with little assistance, and provide a clear understanding for novices.

## Major Components of the Program

- SDLC Methodology
- DOE Systems Engineering Methodology
- Basic Project Management Practices
- Project Planning – Project Tracking and Monitoring – Requirements Management – Configuration Management – Risk Management - Quality Assurance
- Resources
- Checklists, Templates, Samples, Examples
- Process Guides, Metrics and Assessment Guidance
- Training
- Helpful websites
- http://cio.doe.gov/ITReform/sqse

- 2nd Annual Census SEPG Conference

- 4/27/04

**Notes:**
The cornerstone of any project is a lifecycle methodology.
These basic project management practices are included in the SEM and there is a mapping available to both the SEI SW-CMM Level 2 and Level 3 process areas.
Resources to assist in the implementation of the program and the SEM. 

## Challenges

- Management
- Need OMB recognition
- Need CIO or perhaps Secretarial endorsement
- Staff
- Federal—Getting distributed environment to buy-in
- Contractor—Getting requirements into the award
- Resources
- Competing initiatives

- 2nd Annual Census SEPG Conference

- 4/27/04

**Notes:**
So much emphasis on CPIC and EA that SDLC gets less attention.  An SDLC is just as much a program as CPIC and EA.
Political and cultural climates are hard to change without a very high level endorsement in writing.
Staff need a high-level endorsement to have the empowerment and authority to put resources into a program.  Contractors will only do what is in the contract. 
With all of the competing initiatives – security, privacy, section 508 -- an SDLC program seems to get the cuts. Establishing a program is the easy part. The hard part is getting and keeping the resources to implement it. 

## Solution?

- Keep pressing forward
- Look for opportunities
- Unite
- Call me, 301-903-4632

- 2nd Annual Census SEPG Conference

- 4/27/04

**Notes:**
Don’t give up.  Software quality and systems engineering is not a stand-alone business any more.  It is more important than ever.
Things change.  If software management is not high on your manager’s agenda, be patient.  
Form a group.  One possible way to get recognition is to form a government-wide software management forum.
DOE SQSE is available for anyone’s use