GIDEP - GOVERNMENT-INDUSTRY DATA EXCHANGE PROGRAM
GIDEP is a cooperative technical data exchange service
between government and industry participants for sharing and use of
existing engineering and failure data. GIDEP provides a means to exchange
a variety of data during the acquisition and sustain the life cycles
of systems and equipment that can be utilized to improve reliability
and reduce the cost of ownership.
GIDEP was established in 1959 as the Inter-Service Data
Exchange Program (IDEP), in order to reduce duplication of testing
and evaluation of similar or identical equipment, components, parts
and materials. This was accomplished through the exchange of test
data and related technical information among contractors and defense
agencies involved in the design, development and fabrication of strategic
missile systems and related equipment. Later it was expanded to include
other missiles systems and finally extended to all defense systems.
In 1991, GIDEP’s role was expanded by direction
of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to support reporting
of nonconforming materials and services purchased by all federal agencies.
GIDEP serves as an electronic repository of shared technical data
that is available for determining the best approach in research, design,
development, test, evaluation, production and introduction of new
goods or services.
The primary thrust of the GIDEP initiatives is to provide
a means to save time and reduce the costs of duplicate testing by
making maximum use of existing data. Additionally, the program provides
a repository of quality and reliability data, coupled with information
on diminishing manufacturing sources and materials shortages, and
manufacturer’s product changes.
Enterprise Architecture at GIDEP
Several organizations within the Department of Defense
such as the Army, Air Force, etc. perform many of the same functions
as GIDEP (Navy). DOD decided to integrate these organizations into
one organization under DOD. GIDEP management, in coping with the explanation
and education requirements of DOD management and given the Clinger-Cohen
Act of 1996, the E-Government Act of 2002, guidance from the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB), have all encouraged and – in
some cases – mandated the development and use of an enterprise
architecture to effectively demonstrate to management what business
GIDEP is in and the cost effectiveness of it’s operations. Further,
GIDEP would have to demonstrate how it would go forward with future
directions mandated by DOD in handling the integrated exchange of
all data for not only current operations but the exchange of data
with United States Allies.
The Enterprise Architecture creation using a
Repository Knowledge Base
In support of its EA initiative, GIDEP recognized it
would require a methodology and the experience to establish its present
and future state of the EA and contracted with Enterprise IT Solutions,
LLC (EITS), using the Adaptive Repository™. EITS having accomplished
over 50 corporate wide EA initiatives and the automation of the EA
within a repository knowledge base, demonstrated to GIDEP that the
EA would continue to be used as the change agent in going forward
and that the Adaptive Repository™ knowledge base would be the
way in which change could be managed in the creation of the EA and
the on-going governance required to implement the “To Be EA”.
As Is EA
The first step in creating the As Is EA is to establish
the framework in which the EA will be developed. The framework must
not be technical but rather a high level representation that will
allow top management to understand the over all functioning of the
business including Mission, Visions, Goals, Objectives, for the business
down to and including the business organization, functions, tasks,
and infrastructure to support the business. In the case of GIDEP,
management all so wanted to fully cost out every aspect of the enterprise
to demonstrate cost effectiveness and ultimately have the ability
to determine total cost of ownership.
This would allow senior management to fully understand
the impact of making cost cutting or investment decisions for the
business (i.e. instead of management saying cut a million dollars
out of your budget, it would instead become a discussion of what business
function is no longer necessary). This is truly important to the business
since many cost cutting decisions are not based on strategy, and produce
surprises once costs have been cut, thus impacting the business (i.e.
some businesses have cut back on customer service only to have customer
satisfaction problems, or airlines have cut back on maintenance only
to be fined or worse yet have airplane issues). GIDEP realized that
the EA is not just for IT but must be created for the entire enterprise
if it is to be a living representation of the business.
The key to management understanding is the framework
that must establish management buy in. The framework must not only
be for the As Is but allow for transitioning to the To Be as well.
The Repository allows for the As Is to be integrated into the To Be.
GIDEP wanted to represent, at any level of the EA, what they do today
and how that will be enhanced, deleted, changed, or added tomorrow,
including how much it will cost.
To Be EA
Every aspect of GIDEP was documented within the As Is
down to and including what job function was performed by what individual,
equipment/software used, how long it took to do each task, the reporting
structure, and how much it cost for each attribute in performing the
function. Using the Adaptive Repository™, the information could
be sliced and diced anyway management needed to see the information.
In the To Be, this information was also linked to the
As Is function that would continue into the future. The same information
in the As Is was then estimated for the new functions within the To
Be and added to the EA. The Adaptive Repository™ allowed for
the “What if “ analysis required when planning and including
cost for the new functions, tasks, equipment, etc.
Positioned for Continuous learning and growth
Like any major enterprise, GIDEP must be a “learning”
organization, able to sense the need for change and respond with the
changes at the right time in a cost effective manner. GIDEP’s
enterprise architecture initiative is creating a comprehensive model
of GIDEP, both now and as envisioned for the future. The Adaptive
Repository™ is the vehicle for capturing and sharing that knowledge.
By continuously evolving and updating the architecture, and sharing
it with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders via the
Adaptive Repository™, GIDEP believes it is significantly strengthening
its abilities to learn and grow. |
