Technology Program Management Model
 

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Welcome

This website is devoted to providing information on version 2 of the Technology Program Management Model (TPMM).

TPMM is a Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-based stage-gate process model that contains engineered criteria, tailorable to any given technology development program. It is a management model that focuses on the full activity set (e.g. programmatics, systems engineering, transition management, verification) that can be used by a technology program manager to manage their technical development program to transition to an Acquisition Customer. Every activity contributes to the technology product. The results of each activity are documented by one or more deliverables in any given phase - no superfluous activities.

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Transition Paradigm
TPMM Transition Paradigm - The Balanced Paradigm

(Position the mouse over the image to view the TPMM Paradigm)

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What's New in Version 2?
Some of you will recognize the wallchart image to the left. It is the TPMM v.1 wallchart which consisted of a set of TRL-delimited phases which included Considerations and Actions, Exit Criteria, and Deliverables for each phase. While this was a good start, it lacked the fidelity to be placed into practice. Many questions arose such as, "Who is responsible for executing a given action?", and "Where do the results of an activity reside and how do those results move from phase to phase?", and "How do these activities relate to the DoD 5000 or other organizationally-mandated requirements?" These questions and others led to the further development of the TPMM and has culminated in the current release, TPMM version 2.
 

TPMM v.2 has segmented all of its activities into clearly delineated categories and sub-categories. For example, under the "Programmatics" category are the sub-categories of "Cost", "Schedule", "Risk", "Funding", "Contracting", and "Data Management".
 

 

 
 


TPMM v.2 has replaced the old Technology Development Program Plan with the DoDI 5000.2-mandated Technology Development Strategy, or TDS. The TDS is required for acquisition programs and the transition from a Technology Development Program to an Acquisition Program will be made easier and with less risk if the transitioning plan can easily fold into the acquisition program's plan.

The DAU-endorsed best practice of developing a Technology Transition Agreement (TTA) with your customer or potential customer has been expanded to a three-phase agreement beginning much earlier in the development lifecycle. These three versions of the TTA are called INTEREST, INTENT, and COMMITMENT, and document successive levels of commitment between the technology program and the acquisition customer or potential customer.

TPMM v.2 has also introduced the concept of a two-assessment gate review called the Technology Program Review (TPR). The first consists of a Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA), which determines whether the program has achieved a specific Readiness Level. The second is a Technology Advancement Assessment (TAA), which validates the planning function for the next phase. The outcome of the TAA is a decision to either a) Go to the next stage; b) Kill the program; c) Hold the program; or d) Recycle the program back into the current stage to satisfy some unsatisfied criteria.  

 
Structural Differences b/w v.1 and v.2:
  • TRL phases have been redesigned
  • Deliverables have been adapted and expanded to align to DoDI 5000.2
  • Systems Engineering Activities has been expanded with detailed fidelity and task breakdown
  • Activities have been classified by category and threaded
  New Features:

Tailorable and Flexible:

  • Updated and aligned Exit Criteria and Deliverables
  • Focused on Transition and Requirements
  • Activity set developed in database in prep for automation
  • Integrating Customer Requirements and other Readiness levels

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