Advancing Technology Without Operational Pull.

• Author: Johnson, John C.

If you want to know where you're going, use a map with a strong compass orientation. In the defense community, achievements in generational technology have traditionally been made using product road maps coupled closely with subsystem and component-level road maps that provide a vision of the product's next iteration.

To be viable, product road maps require user involvement where they articulate operational requirements so the engineering community can then determine the product specifications necessary to achieve them. The engineering function may not be successful in fielding the next-generation system without user involvement from the start.

In the past, the user-engineer interface has been essential to the timely fielding of state-of-the-art weapon systems, ergo preserving battlefield advantage. But when research laboratories explore and develop "visionary emerging technology" with little or no user involvement, this tried-and-true process breaks down. Instead, maturation is not driven by requirements but is driven by other motivations.

One is simple scientific curiosity. Another is national security--for example, not allowing countries less favorable to U.S. policy to develop the technology first. A third motivation is the belief that the operational applications will become obvious over time.

University and government laboratories may develop technology for these reasons, but to a far lesser extent do commercial enterprises, where return on investment is closely watched.

A dilemma arises when scientists and research engineers discover a technology that potentially leaps past previous developments. In such cases, user requirements "pull" doesn't exist--there are no open requirements waiting to be solved. And the potential user has only a vague awareness of laboratory achievements; therefore, requirements documents, even at the highest level, are virtually impossible to script.

Scientific curiosity, national security and other motivations will move the maturation process, but at a slow and agonizing pace, like a random walk with barriers.

The question becomes: How do we advance breakthrough technology without operational pull?

From crossbows and catapults to intercontinental ballistic missiles and stealth aircraft, the intended user has articulated and documented the operational requirements and subsequently presented them to craftsmen or, today, to design engineers, who fabricate, build and produce.

This process and the various...