The Government Accountability Office evaluated four software-intensive space programs of the Department of Defense and found the initiatives are struggling to involve end users in software development efforts. The reviewed programs are the Air Force’s Joint Space Operations Center Mission System Increment 2, the Navy’s Mobile User Objective System, Space-Based Infrared System and the Next Generation Operational Control System, according to a GAO report published Monday.Â
Aside from the lack of early and continual involvement of users in software development, the reviewed space programs failed to give end users opportunities to provide feedback and integrate user feedback into subsequent development. “This was due, in part, to the lack of specific guidance on user involvement and feedback,†GAO said in the report.
GAO called on the Pentagon to ensure that its software development guidance offers direction on how and when to engage system users as well as ways to document and communicate feedback to stakeholders during the development process.
