This is an interesting article. But we wouldn’t be so quick to write off concurrent design, development, and production. The commercial world has proven that – in the correct context – it works all too well. They call it agile development.

Agile methodologies are best applied in “little bet” scenarios – discrete, short-term tasks where the risk of failure does not threaten the viability of the overall enterprise. The real problem with the concurrent development model that DoD has employed for the missile defense program isn’t the ‘concurrence,’ it’s committing too early to a top-down, waterfall plan and being unable (or unwilling) to adapt to changing circumstances over the life of the effort.

Our conclusion: concurrent design, development, and production is good, depending on how it’s implemented…

How Not to Buy Weapons | Battleland | TIME.com.