CIC and Global Strike developing software to help sort innovation ideas

By Sean Green | STRIKEWERX Marketing and Communication Director

BOSSIER CITY, La. — Air Force Global Strike Command is developing a new software tool to help get the most bang for their buck when it comes to innovative ideas.

The Modernization Assessment Database is a data management tool that analyzes different modernization ideas and prioritizes the most impactful efforts.

The custom software was developed via the Cyber Innovation Center’s Partnership Intermediary Agreement with AFGSC.

“The software compiles various criteria, and the algorithm produces a ranking of efforts based upon the prior input,” said Kyle Branch, CIC data analytics manager.

Cassie Johnson, a member of AFGSC Future Capabilities Branch explained that the software helps organize the various inputs of ideas to solve challenges in the command.

“Any number of people input random projects and technologies at various times to solve or mitigate challenges. Those end up in a shared drive that is not organized well, and we wanted a repository to store all information where it was easily retrievable and web-accessible,” Johnson said. “Ranking submissions is too variable and relative to the decision maker. We wanted a repeatable, measurable process to return results on a subjective opinion.”

MAD is currently in the beta testing phase. A recent test ranked items from a submitted wish list with positive results.

“We were pleased with the test. We were able to verify the disparity between opinions and the rankings MAD created. That allows us to trust MAD’s decisions,” Johnson said.

The tool is being used in regular efforts and is intended to scale across wing and command enterprises, with potential to be implemented across the entire Air Force.

A team from the Future Capabilities Branch is currently working to have MAD installed on the Air Force network.

“The ultimate goal is that when any vendor or Air Force lab brings up their ideas to our office, they can be submitted on MAD portal and the results reviewed there,” Johnson said.