Figure 1. Form the Product Support Management (PSM) Integrated Product Team (IPT)
Form the Product Support Management (PSM) Integrated Product Team (IPT) that will develop, implement, and manage product support. The PSM is charged with the responsibility to plan, develop, implement, and execute the product support strategy. Product support encompasses a range of disciplines including, but not limited to, logistics, requirements, operational mission planning, financial, contracts, legal, and integrated product support elements functional subject matter experts.
A critical early step in any product support effort is to establish a cross-functional stakeholder team that takes guidance from the Warfighter to assist in the development, management, and implementation of the product support strategy. Although the PM is the total life cycle systems manager, the PSM is the orchestrator of that management. Effective product support strategies require the participation and consensus of all stakeholders in developing the optimal sustainment strategy. The IPT team, led by the PSM, may consist of Government and private sector functional experts, and it should include all appropriate stakeholders necessary to work across organizational boundaries including Warfighter representatives.
The structure of the team will vary, depending on the maturity and the mission of the program. The PSM must be cognizant of where the system is in the life cycle, understand the major milestones/events, and provide useful information to the decision makers for the program to move successfully forward through the life cycle. The team is able to consider all feasible support alternatives and to select an optimal product support strategy because of the strengths provided by the cross functional expertise of its members.
IPT membership will typically include a Program Office "core" team who has a daily responsibility to plan, develop, implement, and oversee the product support strategy. Other stakeholders and subject matter experts as needs arise will supplement the core team, often on an ad hoc basis. After the IPT is organized, the members establish their goals, develop plans of action and milestones (documented in an approved IPT Charter), and obtain adequate resources.
Product Support strategies are comprehensive and closely integrated, and require early and frequent discussion and planning efforts across and between all key stakeholders. A good product support team has these characteristics:
- All functional disciplines influencing the weapon system throughout its lifetime are represented on the team.
- All the members buy-in to the team's goals, plans of actions and milestones, responsibilities, and authorities.
- All staffing, funding, and facilities requirements are identified and soundly resourced.
A Product Support Management IPT could include representatives from a component command headquarters, life cycle logistics representatives from key functional support entities, such as supply, maintenance, transportation staffs. It could also include representatives from operational commands or defense agencies as well as engineering, technical, safety, procurement, comptroller, information technology organizations, and contract support. Depending on the stage of the Life-cycle, the team could include the Product Support Integrator(s) and key Product Support Provider(s). After the team is organized, the members will establish their goals, develop plans of action and milestones, and obtain adequate resources. In addition to assisting the PSM in developing, refining, and implementing the product support strategy, the Product Support Management IPT also ensures consideration, throughout product support strategy design and development, of all factors and criteria necessary to achieve a best value strategy that leverages the best capabilities of the public and private sectors to meet Warfighter requirements. With a best value strategy, the Product Support Management IPT leverages the capabilities of public and private sectors to meet Warfighter performance, readiness, and availability at the lowest Life-Cycle cost.
Figure 1. Form the Product Support Management (PSM) Integrated Product Team (IPT)
This approach to effective life cycle product support teaming works best if the product support manager employs a style of leadership that emphasizes coaching and empowering an environment of open communication and timely decision-making. For their part, team members should bear in mind that the team is not the end result but rather the means by which the end result is achieved, namely the delivery of an affordable weapon system and support structure that meets the needs of the Warfighter.
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