Several weeks ago I began posting a periodic series of blogs with the tag-line “A Study in Contrasts” to highlight both the differences and linkages between commonly used terms in the product support lexicon. Today’s blog post focuses on two terms that to the casual observer might be synonymous, when in fact they are very different in both meaning and application. Specifically, the terms “Product Support Manager (PSM)” and “Product Support Management.” In a nutshell, the former is a position (or a title) and the latter is an Integrated Product Support (IPS) Element.
Before we get to the definitions of these two particular terms, however, it is important to recall exactly what we mean within the Department of Defense when we use the term “product support,” which actually has both a statutory and policy definition. According to 10 U.S.C §2337, “the term “product support” means the package of support functions required to field and maintain the readiness and operational capability of major weapon systems, subsystems, and components, including all functions related to weapon system readiness. According to the implementing DoD Directive Type Memorandum (DTM) 10-015, this includes (but is not limited) to materiel management, distribution, technical data management, maintenance, training, cataloging, configuration management, engineering support, repair parts management, failure reporting and analyses, and reliability growth tracking and the logistics (integrated product support) elements (e.g., support equipment, spares) related to weapon systems readiness.
With that in mind, the differences between Product Support Manager (PSM) and Product Support Management become more clear:
- Product Support Manager (PSM) — The individual responsible for managing the package of support functions required to field and maintain the readiness and operational capability of major weapon systems, subsystems, and components, including all functions related to weapon system readiness, in support of the program manager’s life cycle management responsibilities. (Source: DTM 10-015)
- Product Support Management — As an element of product support, product support management is the development and implementation of product support strategies to ensure supportability is considered throughout the system life cycle through the optimization of the key performance outcomes of reliability, availability, maintainability and reduction of total ownership costs. The scope of product support management planning and execution includes the enterprise level integration of all twelve integrated product support elements throughout the lifecycle commensurate with the roles and responsibilities of the Product Support Manager position. Note: product support management is not synonymous with product support manager, although the product support manager plays a primary role in executing product support management activities. (Source: DoD Integrated Product Support (IPS) Element Guidebook).
Several other things I’d also recommend considering:
- Keep in mind that the Product Support Manager role is an inherently governmental position, which cannot be delegated or outsourced to industry. For Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAP), the PSM is also designated as a Key Leadership Position (KLP).
- Second, while the Product Support Manager (PSM) clearly has Product Support Management responsibilities, don’t mistakenly assume they alone are solely responsible for this momentous undertaking. A range of other acquisition and sustainment professionals from across government and industry play important roles as well. These include Program Managers, the broader Life Cycle Logistics community, and numerous other personnel and organizations who directly and indirectly support DoD supply, maintenance, distribution, material management, and sustaining engineering activities also play a role.
- To avoid confusion, I personally would recommend only using the “PSM” acronym for the actual Product Support Manager position, and not for the Product Support Management IPS Element.
- Lastly, DAU maintains a comprehensive Product Support Manager (PSM) site on our LOG CoP, as well as links to the Product Support Manager’s (PSM) Guidebook and a comprehensive Product Support Manager’s Toolkit. In addition we also maintain an easy-to-access link to Appendix A of the PSM Guidebook, a good reference that summarizes the primary activities for each of the twelve Integrated Product Support (IPS) Elements, including Product Support Management. We also host the more detailed IPS Element Guidebook.
In addition to these terms, we maintain a “Key Product Support Definitions” page on the Logistics Community of Practice (LOG CoP) containing definitions and definitive sources for a number of other frequently used product support terms. Encourage you to check them out.
