The United States Army oversees dozens of complex projects critical to national defense and has relied on Riskonnect for nearly a decade to manage risk and keep those projects successfully advancing forward.

CHALLENGE

As the oldest and most senior branch of the United States military, the United States Army has faced all manner of risks since its inception in 1775. Today’s risks are more complex and technical than ever. Budgets are closely watched. And any deviation from the timeline can trigger a firestorm of costly delays.

Adding to the pressure, every project must meet exact specifications. Failure means critical systems and equipment won’t be available when needed in the real world, putting lives at stake.

To appropriately manage risks of the modern era, U.S. Army established ten Program Executive Offices (PEO) to develop, field, and sustain defensive and offensive programs. One of these is PEO Missiles and Space, which works on state-of-the-art technology to support U.S. soldiers, allies, and partners. PEO MS is responsible for managing the supply chain and meeting requirements for programs such as Sentinel radar systems, Patriot and Stinger missiles, and Forward Area Air Defense systems.

More than 40 strategic defense programs – encompassing dozens of individual projects – are in progress at any given time. Threats that are managed inconsistently across these programs could derail projects or obscure opportunities. The organization also must abide by strict requirements on managing risk from the Department of Defense.

“Risk management is probably the most important thing we do here,” says George Burruss, senior systems engineer at the U.S. Army PEO MS. “We have cost, schedule, and performance requirements. As we work through them, we are continually asking what could go wrong.”

Standardizing the way risk is captured, formatted, and reported was one of the biggest challenges. Over a decade ago, only three of the 40-plus programs were following the DoD guidance because it was so complicated. “Some had spreadsheets, and some were using databases. Our metrics were not even included in presentations to leadership,” recalls Burruss. “We didn’t have the tools to do what needed to be done.”

SOLUTION

U.S. Army PEO MS selected Riskonnect’s Active Risk Manager nearly a decade ago and continues to expand its use. The software adds consistency and accuracy to managing complex risks across its project portfolio – and does so in a manner that complies with the DoD’s detailed requirements.

With ARM, risk data resides in a single database, which saves time by eliminating the need to transfer information from one tool to another. “ARM is helpful throughout the whole lifecycle, from the risk identification level all the way up to the PEO MS leadership level,” notes Tara Williams, risk management database administrator at the U.S. Army PEO MS.

ARM’s custom reports and configurable dashboards with real-time data give senior leadership direct and actionable insight regarding risks. “As you move up the chain, you’ve got to pay attention to your audience and change the level that you’re drilling down to so that the right audience gets the right information,” she explains. “ARM is very helpful with that.”

RESULTS

Using ARM, the U.S. Army PEO MS is successfully developing, delivering, and deploying missiles, radar systems, advanced military software, and defense solutions.

The organization started out with ARM in just one of its product offices. That test went so well that now all 10 project offices are using the tool. All projects also are in line with DoD guidance and requirements.

“ARM is part of the suite of tools we use every day, as mandated by our commanding officer,” Burruss points out.

ARM has enhanced the U.S. Army’s overall risk management capabilities by helping it identify opportunities alongside threats, which puts the organization ahead of the game. The software also can easily accommodate expanding DoD guidelines.

“ARM helps us perform at a higher level by making it easy to exploit new ideas, share them with others, and improve our capabilities,” Burruss explains.

Reports can be generated at the touch of a button. Risk data is clearly displayed so leadership and others can quickly understand the status.

Looking ahead, “ARM will be an integral part of our growth as we expand the PEO MS digital enterprise,” says Williams.

She also notes that the continued success with ARM is much more than the software’s capabilities. “Working with Riskonnect is a partnership. It’s about relationship and communication. There’s an ease of communication with our friends at Riskonnect – and that makes a big difference.”

For more on managing project risk, download our ebook, Seven Risk Management Habits for Successful Projects, and check out Riskonnect’s Active Risk Manager software solution.