Evaluation of Current Automated Civil Engineer System Non-Appropriated Funds Project Programming Procedures

This is a AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT report procured by the Pentagon and made available for public release. It has been reproduced in the best form available to the Pentagon. It is not spiral-bound, but rather assembled with Velobinding in a soft, white linen cover. The Storming Media report number is A252524. The abstract provided by the Pentagon follows: It is essential that businesses continually improve their automated information systems (AIS) to support the changing needs of the organization. The Air Force civil engineering organization is no exception since they have drastically improved their Automated Civil Engineer System (ACES) through end user support since its implementation in 2000. However, there are many problems associated with the non-appropriated funds (NAF) project programming business rules within ACES. These problem areas were not addressed until recently when an integrated process team met and proposed numerous changes to how NAF programming is accomplished in ACES. This research effort, through a web-based survey, focuses on the perceived benefits of these proposed changes from a base-level programming perspective. It also investigated current programming procedures that might affect how well the proposed changes are implemented along with NAF and ACES training issues. Descriptive statistics were used to answer the research questions using survey responses from a sample size of 35 base-level programmers. The results indicated that programmers agree or strongly agree that the majority of proposed IPT changes will be beneficial in improving NAF programming in ACES-PM. However, several potential problems areas might surface, due to current programming procedures at base-level, when these changes are implemented into ACES.