MN4602: Acquisition Test and Evaluation Decision Science - NPS Online

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.