The May-June 2016 issue of Defense AT&L Magazine is available for your reading pleasure. As always, this latest edition contains articles on a range of topic areas of interest to the defense acquisition professional, including:

·         Organizational Executive Coaching – for Extraordinary Futures - Coaches from the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) work one-on-one to “up the game” even of leaders who already are top performers. An essential element is a “board of directors” formed of those who can facilitate extraordinary achievement.

·         From the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics -- Real Acquisition Reform (or Improvement) Must Come From Within

·         Someone Else I Can Talk To ―The Benefits of Executive Coaching  - In a time of rising expectations and tightened budgets, DAU’s program provides support for notable senior leaders who can go further and do more. The program, usually 9 to 12 months long, follows a six-step coaching model.

·         Enhancing the Science and Technology Manager Career Field - Two of the three required Science and Technology Management (STM) courses at the DAU are new for this fiscal year. The new Level I (Introduction) course is the career field’s first distance learning course. The new required Level III (Leadership) course was developed by a tenured Georgetown University professor under contract.

·         STEM Education and Outreach ―Strengthening Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics - In addition to training the Defense Acquisition Workforce, DAU conducts outreach for high school students near its headquarters campus. DAU’s STEM Engineering Management Workshop is expanding its outreach to all grades and provides professional development for educators as well.

·         Critical Thinking ― An Overview of the Defense Acquisition System - There is a need to understand the “why” of what we do, or the thinking behind the policy and procedures we follow. This understanding will permit the tailoring of a system model unique to a program’s specific needs.

·         The Hard Truth About Soft Skills ― Discovering the Common Denominator in High-Stakes Environments - A lack or lapse of effective “soft skills” (such as appropriate communications) can result in tragic mishaps despite years of experience and technical capability and expertise.

·         Pursuit of the Possible ―USSOCOM’s Technical Experimentation Program - The U.S. Special Operations Command’s Technical Experimentation program brings together operational users, acquisition program managers and technology developers (private and public) to evaluate new technologies.

·         Do’s and Dont's for Conditional Acceptance of Nonperforming Supplies or Services - Don’t settle quickly for a soft promise to correct a problem later, while the contractor continues to be paid for on-time delivery of a nonconforming item. Conditional acceptance of a weapon system isn’t always in the government’s best interest.

·         Cybersecurity - The Road Ahead for Defense Acquisition - The imperative mission of maintaining U.S. technological superiority requires not only adequate research and development but also protection of new capabilities against cybersecurity breaches.

·         Losing Something in Translation —Turning Requirements Into Specifications - When engineers translate requirements into specifications, the result can be more extensive and expensive specifications than requirements managers originally intended.

·         Why Should We Care About Outsourcing? - A tiered network of suppliers provides opportunities to save on costs and to focus core competencies. But the visibility of the work as it is done can rapidly diminish as it moves to the next lower tier. Understanding this can help shed light on significant risks.

·        Another Source of Tools and Resources for Your Programs: The DAU and PMI Agreement — a Commitment to Excellence - Here’s a list (including online links) of what is available for portfolio, program and project managers under a Memorandum of Understanding between the Defense Acquisition University and the Project Management Institute (PMI)—a nonprofit professional membership association.

As a side note, to enhance and facilitate workforce professional development, don’t forget that that we also maintain a comprehensive “Life Cycle Logistics Career Field Recommended Reading List”.