PMs spend too much time at briefings where no decisions are made

In the early 1970s, the Army took it upon itself to review its acquisition system. The AMARC report found that the Army was “profoundly affected” by leadership in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Responding to the necessity of OSD approval, the Army staff created “multiple layering” to comply with the demands. In one typical example, the program manager of the Heavy Lift Helicopter provided 14 briefings above the level of the Army Materiel Command over 31 work days. The ordeal included five trips between St. Louis and Washington flanking the Christmas holiday. Most of the manager’s time was informing officials at the Army staff and headquarters level, who themselves briefed two or three more layers up into a fragmented OSD.

The Army reported: “None were decision briefings. It is clear that the profusion of these briefings take the PM away from his day to day job. Brief other than for decisions must be eliminated.”

And: “The layering and fragmentation also increase the time required to make a decision. This adds to the cost and impedes the schedule of systems acquisition.”