A request for training offers more evidence of the federal pivot to agile.
WHAT: Agile coursework for IT and acquisition specialists at the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency.
WHY: After the launch failures of HealthCare.gov, agile became the IT buzzword of the moment, and its star shows no signs of fading. The recently released U.S. Digital Services Playbook advises using "agile and iterative practices" in software design. The NGA, home to the immersive Map of the World intelligence databases, is in the midst of its own pivot to agile. "The use of agile acquisition methods and concepts are essential to NGA's success," notes a solicitation for a contractor to provide agile training courses to agency IT and acquisitions workers.
Training is an important part of a move to agile, especially for IT staffers with certification in other methodologies. NGA is seeking a contractor to supply a two-day course for IT specialists that will culminate with an exam to certify successful students as Scaled Agile Framework Agilists. A separate, shorter course to be offered agency-wide will orient newcomers to agile, and offer ways to improve agency business processes using the method.
Click here to read the full solicitation.