Issues in Software: A Blue Two Visit Feasibility Assessment

The SEI participated in a series of fact-finding meetings sponsored by the Air Force Coordinating Office for Logistics Research to gather information necessary to set the scope for and to implement one or more Blue Two Visits on software. The purpose of a Blue Two Visit (BTV) is to introduce to industry's top design engineers and program managers the day-to-day constraints Air Force maintainers face on front-line operations bases. The participants experience first-hand the effects of design on maintenance. This exposure has been significant in bridging the gap between DoD and industry in understanding, documenting, and supporting Air Force weapon system requirements to increase combat supportability. This report documents discussions that attempt to address the following questions for a software-oriented BTV: 1) Do software maintainers and users have messages for software designers and programmers? 2) What are these messages? 3) How can these messages be best communicated? 4) To whom should these messages be targeted? 5) What should the BTV be called?