DoDAF Viewpoints and Models
Systems Viewpoint
SV-9: Systems Technology and Skills Forecast
The SV-9 defines the underlying current and expected supporting technologies and skills. Expected supporting technologies and skills are those that can be reasonably forecast given the current state of technology and skills as well as the expected improvements or trends. New technologies and skills are tied to specific time periods, which can correlate against the time periods used in SV-8 milestones and linked to Capability Phases.
The SV-9 provides a summary of emerging technologies and skills that impact the architecture. The SV-9 provides descriptions of relevant:
- Emerging capabilities.
- Industry trends.
- Predictions (with associated confidence factors) of the availability and readiness of specific hardware and software systems.
- Current and possible future skills.
In addition to providing an inventory of trends, capabilities and systems, the DoDAF-described Model SV-9 also includes an assessment of the potential impact of these items on the architecture. Given the future-oriented nature of this model, forecasts are typically made in short, mid and long-term timeframes, such as 6, 12 and 18-month intervals.
The intended usage of the SV-9 includes:
- Forecasting technology readiness against time.
- HR Trends Analysis.
- Recruitment Planning.
- Planning technology insertion.
- Input to options analysis.
The SV-9 can be presented in a table, timeline, or a Herringbone diagram.
Detailed Description:
A SV-9 summarizes predictions about trends in technology and personnel. Architects may produce separate SV-9 products for technology and human resources. The specific time periods selected (and the trends being tracked) are coordinated with architecture transition plans (which the SV-8 Systems Evolution Description model can support). That is, insertion of new capabilities and upgrading or re-training of existing resources may depend on or be driven by the availability of new technology and associated skills. The forecast includes potential impacts on current architectures and thus influences the development of transition and target architectures. The forecast is focused on technology and human resource areas that are related to the purpose for which a given architecture is being described and identifies issues affecting that architecture.
If standards are an integral part of the technologies important to the evolution of a given architecture, then it may be convenient to combine SV-9 with the StdV-2 Standards Forecast in a composite Fit-for-Purpose View.
The SV-9 is constructed as part of a given Architectural Description and in accordance with the Architectural Description purpose. Typically, this involves starting with one or more overarching reference models or standards profiles to which the architecture must conform. Using these reference models or standards profiles, the architect selects the service areas and services relevant to the architecture. The SV-9 DoDAF-described Model forecasts relates to the Standards Profile (StdV-1) in that a timed forecast may contribute to the decision to retire or phase out the use of a certain standard in connection with a resource. Similarly, SV-9 forecasts relate to the Standards Forecasts (StdV-2) in that a certain standard may be adopted depending on a certain technology or skill becoming available (e.g., the availability of Java Script may influence the decision to adopt a new HTML standard).
Alternatively, the SV-9 may relate forecasts to SV elements (e.g., systems) where applicable. The list of resources potentially impacted by the forecasts can also be summarized as additional information in a SV-9.
SV-1 Systems Interface Description
SV-2 Systems Resource Flow Description
SV-3 Systems-Systems Matrix
SV-4 Systems Functionality Description
SV-5a Operational Activity to Systems Function Traceability Matrix
SV-5b Operational Activity to Systems Traceability Matrix
SV-6 Systems Resource Flow Matrix
SV-7 Systems Measures Matrix
SV-8 Systems Evolution Description
SV-9 Systems Technology & Skills Forecast
Introduction to SV-10a, SV10b, and SV-10c
SV-10a Systems Rules Model
SV-10b Systems State Transition Description
SV-10c Systems Event-Trace Description