The Department of Defense Digital Engineering Strategy

 How can engineering constituents, services, and agents do their job better? The answer might be found in the Digital Engineering Strategy of the Department of Defense.  This strategy aims to identify what exactly needs to be done to work in the digital space to increase universal understanding and the assimilation of the authoritative source of truths in every job. To help explain this initiative, today Thom Singer and Craig Brown are joined by Philomena (Phil) Zimmerman, Director for Engineering Tools and Environments within the Department of Defense Office of the Deputy Director for Engineering. She explains the goals of the DOD Digital Engineering Strategy, how you can learn more about it, and what the world might look like when everyone is more reliant and tolerant of the digital world.    On today’s podcast, you will learn:   The goals of the Department of Defense Digital Engineering Strategy This effort aims to improve engineering practice by taking advantage of available computational powers.  Engineering practices are made more rigorous when utilizing these tools.  The digital engineering strategy identifies what needs to be done to work in the digital space. The services and agencies are responsible for how the work is done.  The digital engineering strategy aims to help people do their jobs better.  How to learn more about the strategy The digital engineering strategy is readily available and widely accepted.  Papers and courses about the strategy are taught at most universities with a systems engineering curriculum.  The Systems Engineering Research Center has focused research on the topic.  SIM data presents regular talks on the digital engineering strategy.  The strategy is bringing together critical pieces for the DOD to pay attention to.    Gaining confidence in authoritative sources of truth The two main features of authoritative sources of truth are time dependence and question or use dependence. Computational work has to have a consistent place to start from and will continue to evolve as designs evolve.  Exact characteristics have to be entirely accurate. There cannot be a discussion about which analysis is correct if you’re starting from two different points.   Key points behind the Digital Engineering Strategy  The catalyst for this change happened when industry requested expectations for model-based techniques from the DOD and services simultaneously requested help from OSD. There was a need for a greater technical framework in communication.  This strategy should help to streamline the supply chain.  There are very rigorous pockets of adoption in various important places within the DOD. The lack of interoperability standards should not be a deterrent to embarking on these efforts.  A look at the future shows the possibilities of all that this strategy has the potential to accomplish.   Department of Defense Digital Engineering Strategy   Systems Engineering Research Center   Continue the conversation with us within the Digital Enterprise Society Community at www.DigitalEnterpriseSociety.org.   Digital Download: Virtual Round-Table Series