OVERVIEW:

When the U.S. Air Force replaced the aging LGM-30 Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM, the Sentinel ICBM represents the modernization of the land-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad. The creation of a Digital Engineering Environment (DEE) helped transform the ICBM program by enabling virtual prototyping, real-time collaboration, and data-driven decision-making across geographically dispersed teams—requiring training solutions that could keep pace with rapid technological evolution and prepare personnel to leverage advanced modeling, simulation, and systems integration tools for mission-critical defense operations.

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The United States Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Program's Digital Engineering Environment operated within a SAFe Agile framework, which demanded rapid iteration, continuous stakeholder collaboration, and sprint-based delivery cycles. However, traditional ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) instructional systems design methodologies—with their sequential waterfall approach—were fundamentally incompatible with this agile ecosystem. The program required cutting-edge training development that matched the sophistication of its digital engineering initiatives, while enabling government teams and stakeholders to interact and provide feedback during rapid sprint cycles, rather than waiting for completed deliverables at the project's end. This created an urgent need for innovative process design that could maintain instructional rigor while embracing agile flexibility.

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SOLUTION:

Modified ADDIE Framework Creation: Recognizing the incompatibility between traditional instructional design and agile digital engineering environments, a groundbreaking modified ADDIE framework was developed that seamlessly integrated instructional design principles with agile sprint methodologies. Leading an 11-person team of training developers, graphic designers, and agile scrum coaches through comprehensive analysis, design, and development phases, the solution combined pedagogical integrity with agile ceremonies, sprint planning, and continuous delivery mechanisms.

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Cross-Functional Integration: The innovative process enabled learning products to evolve in tandem with engineering development, ensuring training remained synchronized with rapidly changing technical requirements. This hybrid approach enabled stakeholders and government teams to provide iterative feedback throughout development rather than at predetermined gates, accelerating learning curves while maintaining the rigorous standards required for strategic defense operations. The solution included full development of standard operating procedures and compliance measures that could be scaled across digital engineering teams and platforms.

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Enterprise Scalability: By combining instructional design expertise, agile methodologies, and graphic design capabilities, the framework created a dynamic training ecosystem that transformed how critical defense personnel acquire and apply technical competencies—not just for one program, but as a replicable model for all digital engineering initiatives.

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RESULT:

The team's innovative approach to manufacturing and industry processes within this high-stakes environment earned the prestigious General Dynamics Information Technology Manufacturing and Engineering Innovation Award (2023 and 2024)—the first such recognition in the organization's history. The success of the modified ADDIE framework led to its selection as a keynote presentation at the General Dynamics Manufacturing and Engineering Annual Global Symposium, where it was showcased as an industry-leading best practice and adopted by digital engineering teams and platforms across General Dynamics Manufacturing sectors worldwide. This achievement validated the ability to deliver training solutions that don't just meet requirements but fundamentally redefine what's possible in defense sector learning and development, proving that when instructional design evolves to meet the demands of modern engineering environments, it becomes a strategic accelerator rather than a sequential bottleneck.

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