MN4602 Acquisition Test and Evaluation Decision Science

Designed to cover Developmental, Operational and Joint Test and Evaluation, including planning concepts and procedures frequently used in test and evaluation programs. Taught from the perspective of the Program Manager, Test Project Officer and Test Engineer. Case studies involving T&E managerial problem solving and decision-making in the DoD acquisition management environment are used. Topics include the role of Test and Evaluation in Systems Engineering and Acquisition Management, DT and OT test planning, introduction to test design, conduct of tests, live fire testing, modeling and simulation, human systems integration (HSI), reporting of test results, range and resource issues, and lessons learned. The course provides the student with knowledge of test and evaluation strategy formulation from requirements analysis and decomposition, through T&E master planning including test planning and design, coordination, evaluation planning, and T&E reporting.  A wide variety of testing and evaluation concepts are examined with focus on developmental test & evaluation (DT&E), operational test & evaluation (OT&E), and live-fire test & evaluation (LFT&E).  Student teams will write a detailed test plan. Group exercises focus on in-depth analysis and development of critical T&E concentration areas including critical operational issues (COIs), critical technical Parameters (CTPs), dendritic development, and T&E planning to support the T&E strategy briefing for a major weapons system through a comprehensive, interactive team project. 


Prerequisite

MN3331 or MN3221/MN3222 or MN3301 or permission of instructor

Lecture Hours

3

Lab Hours

2

Course Learning Outcomes

  • Identify and analyze the T&E relationship to systems development, risk management, and the Systems Engineering Process (SEP).
  • Assess and experience the challenges and issues associated with T&E strategy formulation, execution planning, coordination, and reporting.
  • Analyze and decompose user stated, derived, and implied requirements into testable measures supporting evaluation data requirements.
  • Analyze the DoD T&E guidance documents, organizational structure, stakeholders, and coordination requirements.
  • Analyze and understand sampling techniques, sample size requirements, and statistical techniques supporting confidence levels and inferences to the population.