Agile Software Development

Fast-Forward

ERC applies Agile and DevSecOps methodologies to respond quickly to changing conditions, dramatically shorten software release cycles, and rapidly put new capabilities into the hands of warfighters. From infrastructure development and mission planning software to resource planning, mission analysis, and ground-based systems, we use Agile techniques to develop secure, mission-synchronized software for the Army, Air Force, Mission Defense Agency, and NASA.

Our Agile development methods are tailored to our customers’ needs and take advantage of continuous customer collaboration, short development sprints, incremental software versions, and concurrent testing. By simultaneously building and testing security and functional capabilities, we quickly determine whether the software will meet customer needs and pivot promptly if necessary. The result: reduced time, cost, and risk.

How We Do It

Measure of Success

How do you know if you are doing Agile well? It can be difficult to gauge because there are no set industry standards. At ERC, we have developed a methodology for measuring results. By quantifying things that matter—such as efficiency, stories completed per iteration, complexity of each story, release testing, and number of customer meetings—we can document and track results over time. With hard data to measure across multiple projects, we set standards, track performance, and ensure that we are delivering best-in-class Agile services and solutions.

Mission Planning Takes Flight

The Air Force operates a variety of combat aircraft that carry an endless combination of arms, munitions, missiles, and other stores. Before flying a mission, the pilot must understand the flight dynamics for the actual configuration of weapons and stores to be used on that flight. This can include safe loading, carriage, separation, and ballistic accuracy information. Accelerating the availability and accuracy of data for each unique aircraft/combat weapon configuration is critical for mission planning, mission success, and aircrew safety.

In conjunction with the Air Force, ERC developed the Combat Weapon Delivery System (CWDS) software to provide mission planning information. We recently implemented an Agile software development strategy to accelerate the distribution of this combat aircrew weapon-delivery planning information and to improve aircraft/store data quality within CWDS. In combination with a microservices model and automated testing tools, Agile software has been instrumental in speeding the delivery of critical mission planning data to combat aircrews worldwide.