Making Sense Out of Concept Mapping:

Considerations for NCMA Thinking, Understanding, and Strategy

Bill Kaplan, CPCM, FellowNational Board of Directors

Strategic Planning: Recent Background

• “Ten-year look”• Updated version of Strategic Plan

Completed• July 2011: Facilitated Board Session• October 2011: Facilitated Concept Mapping

Sessions– Two sessions with different demographics– Each group started from same baseline information:

the Strategic Plan and the July 2011 report– Maps created from each session

Task: Analyze Maps and Make Sense of the Results

• Themes, Trends, Takeaways• Actions for NCMA

• Sense Making (Our Board Discussion)– Gaps– Actions for Relevance +10 years– Existing, New, Not Yet Known

Session Participants and Focus

October 14 (Environment)

• Karen Wilson• Elliott Branch• Po Collins• Neal Couture• Carly Cox (CMLDP grad)• Sara Brown (CMLDP

grad)

October 17 (Workforce)

• Charlie Chadwick• Larry Trowel• Russ Blaine• Steven Schooner• Bill Kaplan• Neal Couture

Concept Mapping

A concept map is a diagram showing the relationships among concepts. They are graphical tools for organizing and representing knowledge.

Emerging Concepts (Environment)

• Factor 1: Budget Process, Budget Focus, Deficits– Ongoing paralysis of the process– Declining budgets and deficit as % of GDP increases– Environment of austerity as the norm– Increase in acquisition lead times (ALT)– Focus from Defense Major Systems to Readiness and

Sustainment, Public Infrastructure, Healthcare, Professional Services

• Factor 2: Misalignment between responsibilities to govern and politics leads to increased uncertainties and risk– Lack of bipartisanship to solve the big challenges– Misalignment between Governance and Politics =

Divergent Priorities– Risk in terms of acquisition lead times, industry

competition, increased costs of acquisition, industry restructuring

• Factor 3: Uncertainty + Increased Risks = More Complexity = Acquisition Policy Changes = Acquisition Process Changes

Emerging Concepts (Environment)

• Factor 4: Increasing Opportunity for Misunderstandings– Expansion of Socio-economic categories– Changes to structure/mission of Government Agencies– Buyer-Seller challenges based on changing assumptions about

each other– Lack of established and effective (better) practices and

inconsistencies in implementation– Changes in contract structures and business relationship

models– Proactivity in multiple venues to ensure clarity is required

Emerging Concepts (Environment)

• Factor 1: “Socially Connected” Workforce replacing “Legacy” workforce– Collaboration is the norm

• Factor 2: Emerging professionals will need new kinds of practical experience for success – to make sense of the complexity they face– Organizational change– Relationship management– Transactional contracting– Knowledge leadership

Emerging Concepts (Workforce)

• Factor 3: Profession will be more broadly educated (more degrees and diversity of degrees) though less experienced

• Factor 4: Workforce will be Global in context

Emerging Concepts (Workforce)

• Factor: NCMA player in addressing challenges of complexity across acquisition environment– Affiliations– Continue to define the profession– Networking Connector– Fill “understanding” gaps

Emerging Concepts (Association)

NCMA Considerations -- Strategy• Dimension 1: Focus of Service and Support Provided

– Chapter Structure and Relationships … to National and each other

– Governance– Standards– Staff– Certifications

• Dimension 2: Understand Evolving Changes in Membership demographic– National … and international?– CM professionals ….and others like CORs, technical acquisition

career fields, others

• Dimension 3: Adapt Product Lines– To address environmental factors and evolving environment– To changing demographics– To new market opportunities– To business environment

• Dimension 4: Adapt Training– More experiential (use of simulation e.g. MilSpace)– Leverage KM concepts, strategies, and practices– Mentoring

NCMA Considerations -- Strategy

• Dimension 5: Ability to Make Better Decisions and Develop Better Solutions to Support Members– Must be able to “operate faster than the speed of change”– Function of NCMA ability to learn fast and apply this learning

quickly

NCMA Considerations -- Strategy