Proceedings Paper (for Acquisition Research Program)To address integration, the Systems Development & Maturity Laboratory (SD&ML) at Stevens Institute of Technology introduced another prescriptive metric called Integration Readiness Level (IRL). Combining TRL and IRL scales, SD&ML has formulated a System Readiness Level (SRL). SRL is an aggregate measure that characterizes the progress that has been accomplished by a system under development based on the observable readiness characteristics of the technology and integration elements, not the cost and schedule values. This paper describes the application of SRL to a constrained resource optimization model to determine an optimal development plan that identifies which technologies and integration elements should be matured to which levels such that a specific level of system readiness is achieved by a certain time. This optimal plan can be used to monitor and evaluate the actual progress of the system''it can be the basis of a systems lifecycle maturity management approach called System Earned Readiness Management (SERM). A simple example is used to illustrate SERM.Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research ProgramApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited
