GAO: Major Cost, Schedule Gaps in ATC Overhaul

[system]

Originally published at: GAO: Major Cost, Schedule Gaps in ATC Overhaul

Watchdog says accelerated modernization effort lacks a complete lifecycle cost estimate and integrated schedule.

[Andrew_M]

Creating an integrated schedule and cost for such a large, complex system is no joke. I had to do one for another large federal modernization project back in the 1990s. Figuring out all of the tasks, relationships, resource requirements and costs is a monster. The best way to deal with it is to carve it into smaller projects that are more manageable. I looks like the FAA has done that to some extent but the projects might still be too large. When the program is as large as this, you are pushed to come up with a long term architecture (scope), schedule and cost when you don’t really have enough information to do that accurately. On a 10-year program politics, leadership changes, technology changes and staffing changes wreak havoc on project schedules and costs.