Date of Award

3-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Systems Engineering and Management

First Advisor

Jonathan D. Ritschel, PhD

Abstract

This research studies cost and schedule stability in programs that utilize Software Resource Data Report (SRDR) reporting standards. We find software programs at the Computer Software Configuration Item (CSCI) level show much lower levels of stability than previously published DoD stability research that focused on aircraft. A comparison of software development methods found little to no difference between Agile and Plan Driven methodologies. Critical Success Factors (CSF) were identified from prior literature and used to examine CSCIs from the SRDR dataset. Focusing on schedule or cost resulted in different variables showing significance. A CSCI is more likely to remain on budget when using a team with a low level of average experience and being judicious in your contractor selection. A CSCI is more likely to finish on schedule when a team has an average level of experience and Boeing is used as the primary contractor. A CSCI is more likely to remain on budget and on schedule when Lockheed Martin is the lead contractor and the CSCI is programmed in any language other than C. This research can be used by program managers and cost analysts to identify the critical success factors that can be utilized in the Department of Defense software environment to create trade off space between cost and schedule.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-ENV-MS-21-M-280

DTIC Accession Number

AD1134151

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