Managing Cross Program Risks

Internal and external interfaces are significant sources of risk. Interdependent programs may have disconnects regarding resources; hardware and software development schedules; space, weight, power and cooling (SWAP-C) requirements; immature technologies; testing results; or other areas. Interdependent programs should have a process to manage interfaces and integration risks jointly, share information and foster a mutually supportive environment.

The following actions aid in managing activities when deploying a new system that depends on programs outside the Program Executive Officer’s (PEO’s) portfolio or from another Service:

• Component Acquisition Executives (CAEs) act as or appoint a technical authority within the Service(s) or OSD, who can influence critical interfaces with external programs.
• Develop Memorandums of Agreements (MOA) between PMs and PEOs to identify and manage critical interfaces.
• Set up an Interface Control Working Group to identify and resolve interface issues.
• Develop and maintain a synchronized schedule.
• Develop an integration plan that tracks interdependent program touch points, identifies risks and institutes a plan to mitigate them.