Research & independent advice

As an independent source of advice in Capability management and delivery, we offer a unique service that provides tailored guidance and support to Defence capability sponsors and delivery managers.

They then benefit from being mentored by highly experienced individuals who have performed the Defence roles of defining, planning and executing Capability management activities across the Defence Capability Lifecycle (CLC).

Centre mentors have decades of experience in successful delivery and support of defence capability across the CLC in such areas as:

• portfolio, program and management
• needs and requirements definition
• risk reduction
• Solicitation
• cost estimation
• WBS and schedule development
• system integration
• software development
• acquisition and sustainment management
• assurance including T&E
• preparation of CLC artefacts including Business Case, JCNS, PES, OCD, FPS, TEMP, and SOW.

We conduct in-depth analysis of technical and engineering-related issues and activities for a project or program throughout the life cycle.

The Centre has an extensive network of technical and engineering specialists that can undertake ‘deep dives’ that support the decision making process.

• The centre is able to support risk identification and reduction activities through:
• world leading capability systems and system dynamics research;
• independent reviews of the project/program artefacts including remedial actions; and
• hosting facilitated workshops.

Centre research

The Capability Systems Centre undertakes research on a range of topics associated with force design (mission engineering) and supporting the project or program manager across the capability life cycle.

Centre workshops

The centre offers a facilitated workshop service that provides an efficient mechanism to allow stakeholders to develop consensus in an artefact.

The workshops take a structured top-down approach that assists in allowing participants to focus on a level of abstraction appropriate to the task.

Workplace distractions can also be avoided by holding workshops at a convenient venue at UNSW Canberra where stakeholders can devote their attention to the workshop task.

Workshops can be of any length from one to five days. Various levels of catering are also available.