IT workshop focuses on process improvement, standardization

FORT GREGG-ADAMS, Va. -

The Defense Contract Management Agency's Information Technology Directorate held its second annual IT Life Cycle End-to-End Process Working Session and Wall Walk June 4-6 here.

The Governance, Strategy and Planning Business Relationship Management team brought together key IT stakeholders to improve the overall functionality of the agency's Intake System and the software development life cycle processes.

"Focusing on process improvements and standardization ensures that IT life cycle processes are well-documented, standardized and effectively implemented," said Jason Haase, a DCMA IT business relationship manager and co-lead of the Wall Walk, which is an approach to capturing critical information and engaging key stakeholders. "This alignment is essential for maintaining efficiency, enhancing collaboration and achieving high standards in IT operations."

The nearly thirty workshop attendees discussed process documentation, responsibility assignment matrix charts, citizen development and standardizing technical requirements. The engagements provided an opportunity to align best practices, address process gaps and enhance collaboration for IT life cycle management.

"By focusing on process standardization and accountability, we ensure our teams are not only meeting their goals but are also equipped to handle future challenges with confidence," said Frank Huber, DCMA's deputy chief information officer. "This workshop has been a significant step forward in achieving our strategic objectives."

The workshop's objectives and discussions touched all four Lines of Effort of DCMA's strategic plan. Haase said process improvement and standardization is crucial in supporting the agency's mission to improve warfighter capabilities, expand contract administration capabilities, drive enhanced value and affordability, and innovate the workplace.

Tobi Beck, DCMA IT's Governance, Strategy and Planning chief, said the workshop proved instrumental in aligning IT's strategies with actionable insights.

"Our journey toward process excellence is ongoing," said Beck. "But with each session like this, we are building stronger, more resilient frameworks that support our mission-critical operations."

Beck said multiple action items with six-month deadlines emerged from the workshop, which affords the new processes a trial run before next year's evaluation and progress plan. Some action items include developing uniform templates and documentable process flows and creating a responsibility assignment matrix to identify process owners, solution stakeholders, and potential challenges.

Bea Girard, a DCMA IT Governance, Strategy and Planning business relationship manager and workshop contributor, said planning and attending these workshops is a collaborative effort.

"It requires a lot of work all year long to map the processes as requirements and changes in regulation," she said.

Other IT participants who assisted in standing up this year's workshop include:

• Amy Mersereau-Cooper, Governance, Strategy and Planning senior business relationship manager and lead workshop organizer
• Jason Haase, Governance, Strategy and Planning business relationship manager and workshop co-organizer
• John Sanger, Governance, Strategy and Planning metrics analyst and workshop contributor
• Deloris Jaaber, Program Management support branch chief and workshop contributor
• Sabrina Francis, Governance, Strategy and Planning business architect and workshop contributor
• Erin Finkes, Field Services asset manager and workshop contributor

To learn more about the DCMA IT's Software Development Life Cycle, employees can view SDLC - What's in it for me? (DoD365-J login required).

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.