DevSecOps Process Assessment Collaboration Tool: A Novel Method to Inject R&M Into Agile Development

Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning (AI/ML), and autonomy do not align to the traditional Department of Defense acquisition principles and processes for reliability and maintainability (R&M). Because emerging technologies are based in software, it is logical their development should follow an iterative, continuous process like DevSecOps (DSO). To incorporate R&M activities for software-intensive systems, including those that employ AI/ML and autonomy, the Scientific Test and Analysis Techniques Center of Excellence (STAT COE) expanded the DevSecOps Process Assessment Collaboration Tool (DSO-PACT). The DSO-PACT is designed to help program teams define and track lifecycle activities and tasks within a DevSecOps process. This paper outlines a method for integrating R&M into the DSO-PACT, which consisted of identifying R&M activities (overarching processes) and tasks (specific actions) from relevant source documents and aligning them to the appropriate DSO phase. These activities and tasks were organized into a relational database and a dashboard was created to display R&M activities by DSO phase to easily show progress toward each activity as a program evolves and matures. In addition to providing a way to track R&M activities in a continuous process, this tool will help foster horizontal integration because multiple organizations can utilize the same tool across the entire development cycle of emerging technologies.