Executive Overview of SEI MOSAIC: Managing for Success Using a Risk-Based Approach

In today's business environment, multiple organizations routinely work collaboratively in pursuit of a single mission. These separate efforts result in process and programmatic complexity that is difficult to manage effectively. Mission success in these complex settings demands a collaborative management approach that effectively coordinates task execution and decision-making activities among all participating groups. Managing for mission success requires establishing and maintaining a reasonable degree of confidence that a mission's objectives will be successfully achieved. Confidence at the mission level requires establishing and maintaining a corresponding level of confidence in the people, processes, and technologies used to achieve a mission. The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) is currently developing the Mission-Oriented Success Analysis and Improvement Criteria (MOSAIC)—a suite of advanced, risk-based analysis methods for assessing complex, distributed programs, processes, and information-technology systems. With SEI MOSAIC methods, management can establish and maintain confidence in success throughout the life cycle and help provide assurance at the mission, system, and program levels. This technical note provides an executive overview of the concepts and foundations of SEI MOSAIC.