Integrating Developmental and Operational Testing

1. Integrating Developmental andOperational Testing Dr. William (Dave) Bell 2 December 2009

2. Agenda/Overview • What/Why Integrated Testing? • When Should We Do It? • What Can/Should Testers Do? • Summary

3. Recent DoD Integrated Testing Policy T&E expertise must be brought to bear at the beginning of the system life cycle to provide earlier learning about the strengths and weaknesses of the system under development Integrated testing is the collaborative planning and collaborative execution of test phases and events to provide shared data in support of independent analysis, evaluation and reporting by all stakeholders particularly the development (both contractor and government) and operational test and evaluation communities

4. Integrated Testing Defined • Defense Acquisition Guidebook, Chapter 9 • Whenever feasible, DT&E and OT&E events should be combined, if that supports technical and operational test objectives to gain the optimum amount of testing benefit for reasonable cost and time. The user community should be involved early in test planning to ensure the statement of desired capabilities is interpreted correctly and tested realistically. Certain events can be organized to provide information useful to developmental and operational evaluators and lend themselves to the DT and OT approach. The concept is to conduct a single combined test program that produces credible, qualitative and quantitative information that can be used to address developmental and operational issues. Examples of this approach include: combined DT/OT events or piggybacking an operational assessment onto a developmental test. Likewise, developmental testing data requirements can be accommodated by an operational test. This approach can reduce the time and expense of conducting dedicated OT events that replicate DT events, or vice versa, yet still provide adequate technical risk reduction. The developmental and operational testers can develop a test management structure to share control of the combined events. Combined DT and OT events and test data requirements must be identified early to prevent unnecessary duplication and to control costs. It is important that neither the DT&E nor OT&E objectives are compromised in designing combined events. Combined DT & OT events support technical and operational objectives User community involved early to ensure desired capabilities interpreted correctly and tested realistically

5. DT/OT to IDT/OT Evolution - Past Developmental Test Operational Test Contractors Responsible Test Organizations Find & fix technical problems Operational Test Agencies Director, OT&E Discover ops issues & confirmation Certification

6. DT/OT to IDT/OT Evolution - Present Developmental Test Operational Test Integrated Test Ktrs RTOs OTAs DOT&E Certification Discovery of ops/tech issues Ktrs RTOs Find & fix technical problems OTAs DOT&E Finish discovery & perform confirmation Certification Ktrs Contractors RTO Responsible Test Organization OTA Operational Test Agency

7. DT/OT to IDT/OT Evolution - Future Integrated Test Developmental Test Operational Test Ktrs RTOs OTAs DOT&E JITC Develop/refine requirements Discover/fix ops/tech issues OTAs/DOT&E Title 10 confirmation Final certifications Contractors/RTOs Early technology demo & selection WIN - WIN: Capability in warfighters’ hands ASAP Reduces cost, schedule, and risks

8. Agenda/Overview • What/Why Integrated Testing? • When Should We Do It? • What Can/Should Testers Do? • Summary

9. Testers Informing Early Decision Making… • Requirements/specification impact • Disciplined testing mentality helps discovery process; prior to large funding commitment

10. Integrated Testing - Part of Systems Engineering

11. Integrated Testing Environment • • • Integrated Testing Execution Period

12. Agenda/Overview • What/Why Integrated Testing? • When Should We Do It? • What Can/Should Testers Do? • Summary

13. During Requirements Development • Early T&E influence during requirement development : • Ensures requirements are testable and unambiguous • Can you readily imagine a verification technique for this requirement? • Your requirement may be ambiguous if interpretation is required to design and build • Ensures that the test measures address/answer the Critical Operational Issues • Requirements that are high risk/push the state-of-the-art are identified/addressed Getting the requirements right is a pothole-filled road 14

14. T&E During SOW, RFP, and Contract Development • T&Eersensure that test-related scheduling, budgeting, infrastructure, other resources and personnel are included in program’s contractual documents • SOW/RFP, proposal evaluation, contract • T&Eershelp answer the question, “How much and what type of data need to be collected?” • To inform early decisions • Assure continuing involvement • Test design • Test events /Operational/Mission scenarios • Distributed/Joint/LVC • Statistical sample size determination • Analysis planning

15. Integrated Test Execution • Early, continuous IT serves both DT and OT objectives • Provides adequate test time ensuring all test objectives are met • Allows for better/more thorough data collection • Allows PM’s an early look at and time to fix operational issues • Provides opportunity for assessment of reliability growth • Maintenance activities on early test units yield valuable information • Initial maintainability assessments • Evolve maintenance approach or design at this relatively inexpensive stage Earlier insight = cheaper & easier fixes

16. Opportunities for Integrated Testing • Integrated DT/OT supported in SOW and RFP • Integrated DT/OT supported in Test Strategy and Planning documents • Requirements unambiguous and testable • DT&E and OT&E personnel working together from Program’s outset • Contractor and Government DT Data augments OT&E data • OT&E personnel influence Operational Realism of DT&E scenarios • Test Planning Working Groups develop common data collection and reporting formats • The DT&E System Under Test (SUT) reflects Operational System and is operated by typical/actual users • OT&E personnel participate in DT Testing and/or receive test documentation • OT&E personnel assist Program Managers to develop “Acceptable Work-arounds” mitigating serious deficiencies

17. Recommendations for Integrating DT/OT 1. Build a culture of Mutual Trust and cooperation • Demonstrate to PMs OT is not simply “Pass or Fail” • Assist PMs in lowering overall program risk by providing SE and T&E involvement early in the development process 2. Develop a “Partnership” not an adversarial relationship between the Test Community and Contractors or PMs • Identify ways Integrated DT/OT is of mutual benefit to PM’s, Contractors and OTA’s • Demonstrate how early detection of deficiencies reduces overall risk and cost • Show how schedule test time can be reduced by integrating DT/OT • Assist PM’s in developing and presenting an acceptable case for correcting deficiencies to the MDA

18. Recommendations for Integrating DT/OT 3. Encourage adoption of Common data Format/Standards for all Joint and Distributed • Emphasize need for ability to exchange information in the TEMP as part of Integrated testing • Include requirement for common data standards/formats in all SE and T&E Instructions and documentation • DOT&E and OTAs encourage Test Planning Working Groups to develop a common standard for data • Utilize professional organizations like ITEA and NDIA to support the necessity of common data standards/formats

19. Agenda/Overview • What/Why Integrated Testing? • When Should We Do It? • What Can/Should Testers Do? • Summary

20. Integrated Testing Is Critical • Combines the engineering expertise of the developer and SE with the operational expertise of the user and operational tester • Ensures that requirements are written correctly • Ensures all relevant testing is planned and budgeted • Takes advantage of all available test data to inform acquisition and operational decisions • Accelerates deployment of mission capability to the warfighter