Underperforming Software and Information Technology in the Department of Defense : RAND Corporation , January 24 , 2025
Underperforming Software and Information Technology in the Department of Defense : RAND Corporation , January 24 , 2025
From the report: "This report presents the results of an independent study regarding the performance of information technology (IT) and software-based systems in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the impact of that performance on DoD operations and mission readiness. The study was sponsored by the DoD Chief Information Officer (CIO) based on direction in the fiscal year 2023 (FY23) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Section 241.
Section 241 of the FY23 NDAA directs an independent study on the challenges associated with the use of software and information technology in DoD, the effects of such challenges, and their potential solutions.
Issue
DoD workforce responses to a formal survey, other studies, and anecdotal evidence suggest that IT infrastructure and software-based systems throughout DoD are plagued by poor performance, which has potential negative impact on institutional and operational needs. These problems are believed to come from deferred investment in hardware and software in the department, excessive complexity in how user environments are managed, and poor system design and maintenance. To date, however, there has been no comprehensive effort to measure how significant these problems truly are or how they affect the DoD mission and workforce. This study provides a first look at quantifying impacts of underperforming software on department productivity, mission readiness, and morale, in order to help DoD understand its current situation and drive measurable improvement."
Authors - Triezenberg, Bonnie L., Zabel, Sarah, Steratore, Rachel, Salas, Adrian, Lepetic, Ivan, Wilson, Katie A., Henriquez Sanchez, Natalia, et al.Subjects
Authors
Publishers
Format
Related Resources
