First, as we head in to 2011, I want to wish you all a very happy new year. As is the tradition of the season, it's time to consider a good and worthy new year's resolution. My staff at PDSS has recommended that my new year's resolutions be: 1) submit my receipts to the CFO on a more "timely" basis; and 2) get my draft of the newsletter articles to Carol on a more "timely" basis, too! Thus, the theme of my new year's resolution is to work on my timing! Timing and timeliness is a great area of focus for us all to consider for better personal performance over the coming year. (ed. note: so far, Skip is doing just fine on Item #2!)

As you may know, we at PDSS have been working with the US Army's Armament Research, Development and Engineering Command (ARDEC) to develop a new "timing diagram" for what to do and when to do it during both technology and product development. My new year's resolution will be tested by the challenging work that awaits my talents and limitations in ramping up ARDEC's new state-of-the-art technology and product development process. For ARDEC's development teams, just like yours, successful execution depends on getting the timing right. With the improved process, as new weapons are being developed in support of our outstanding service men and women deployed across the globe, the focus is on:

1.       Selecting only those development tasks that will generate meaningful results fit for comparison to the project's requirements and whose duration estimates are reasonable.

2.       Having open and realistic discussions about constraints and barriers to completing a development task successfully within its estimated duration, on the first try.

One must be reasonable about what tasks are going to add value to a given development project. If tasks are recommended just because someone in charge is "more Catholic than the Pope" about some DFSS (Design for Six Sigma) method, for example, then precious time can be wasted.

We must appreciate the realistic constraints that face the defense industry as we follow U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates' leadership in controlling the costs necessary to meet the mission requirements. Our entire economy is only now slowly emerging from a very sobering downturn and we are left with hard choices. We must do the right tasks, the right way, on the first try for the select few projects that must be done.

Here's to a mindful and focused use of your time throughout the new year!