the right approach based on what needs to be delivered, not on which regulatory structure appears most ef - ficient. Senior leaders must resist the temptation to mandate shortcuts and instead empower teams to tailor strat - egies grounded in technical reality. The pathway is not the problem. The real challenge is treating the pathway as a tool rather than the plan. If DoW can simplify the regu - latory framework, focus training on real-world delivery, and shift metrics toward outcomes, acquisition pro - fessionals will be better equipped to meet the demands of modern war- fighting acquisition. And, they will succeed more often. KURODA is a professor of Program Manage- ment at the Warfighting Acquisition University (WarU). He has led major Army software ini- tiatives, served as Division Chief at the Army Software Engineering Center, and advised on complex electronic warfare programs. Before returning to government service, he held executive roles in commercial software devel- opment and retired from the U.S. Army as a senior intelligence analyst. He holds degrees in liberal arts and information systems, is certified in advanced program management, and is a graduate of the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy and the PMT 401 and 402 program executive courses at the WarU. The author can be contacted at david.kuroda@waru.edu . The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the Department of War. Reproduction or reposting of articles from Defense Acquisition magazine should credit the authors and the magazine.
Instead, training should focus on practical skills—ag - ile program execution, user- centered design, effective stakeholder engagement, and iterative delivery methods. Profes - sionals should learn how to build and lead cross-functional teams, use feed - back loops to adjust plans, and man - age complexity with transparency. Metrics also need to reflect deliv - ery, not just process. For example, one of the lessons from Agile devel - opment is the “seeing is believing” standard where development teams demonstrate working software in - stead of validating delivery from a written report. The same could be applied to other types of programs using inspections or demonstrations throughout development instead of relying solely on earned value man - agement. Programs should be evalu - ated on their ability to deliver usable capability. The same could be used to validate contract deliverables instead of relying exclusively on a contract data requirements list. Instead of the contractor generating a report— “Show Me” the system works. Conclusion The AAF introduced much-needed flexibility and helped reshape the conversation around warfighting ac - quisition reform. But flexibility alone is not enough. Pathways do not de - liver capability—people do. Strat - egy, alignment, and disciplined ex - ecution remain the core ingredients of success. Program managers must lead with clarity, not process. They must define
incentive structures—resulting in sur - prises late in the development cycle. Integrated product teams, formed early and given shared objectives, are essential to effective execution. Communication with stakeholders remains another pain point. Regular formal reviews often are one-direc - tional and focused on status report - ing. What is needed instead is a two- way dialogue—ongoing engagement with users, oversight authorities, and support organizations to ensure that the program stays aligned with evolving needs. Finally, many programs treat the acquisition strategy as a one-time deliverable. It becomes a document to approve, not a tool to manage. In reality, acquisition strategies should be revisited frequently. The strategy must adapt when technical assump - tions shift, user needs evolve, or de - livery risks change. Training and Metrics Must Support Real Delivery To enable this mindset shift, edu - cation and training must evolve. Cur - rent training for acquisition profes - sionals often emphasizes compliance with statutes and regulations. While regulatory understanding is essential, overemphasizing rules can inadver - tently create a warfighting acquisition workforce that excels at navigating process but struggles with execution.
Related Resources
– (ACQ 3510) Adaptive Acquisition Framework (Online Training Course) – (WSM 029) AAF Pathway Selection Workshop (Online Training Course)
30 DEFENSE ACQUISITION MAGAZINE | MAY – JUNE 2026
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