Use Human-centered Design practices

Identify and prioritize the users of the enclave, clearly define their needs and goals, and work directly with them to build the product. The PPBE process is extremely complex without the added complications of poorly designed systems. The enclave must work well for non-technical users who have little or no prior DoD experience. The product must be easy to access and intuitive to use. The product team should not make assumptions about what users need, instead relying on research, feedback, and testing to prioritize work.

Both Congress and the DoD experience frequent staffing changes, meaning some people will always be new to the process. Staff come from a variety of backgrounds and may not have technical or data expertise. The product team must work directly with DoD users, Congressional staffers, and others in Congress who support the PPBE process to validate features and measure success. The product delivery team will also need to reach out to DoD subject matter experts, including those in the Services, to learn from their processes and understand the data the enclave ingests. Since no single organization owns the entire PPBE process, the team will be responsible for stitching the pieces together through research.

Creating user feedback loops is also critical to evolving the enclave over time. As the Commission’s recommendations are adopted, user needs will change and the demands on the enclave will change dramatically. Establishing HCD practices and expertise at the onset are essential to the enclave’s long-term success.