The definition of the ARPA model has changed over time

# The definition of the ARPA model has changed over time ` “There is not and should not be a singular answer on ‘what is DARPA’—and if someone tells you that [there is], they don’t understand DARPA”` - [[Richard Van Atta]] It’s important to lay the changes out and discuss whether or not they affected the change in DARPA’s outlier output. Interestingly [[The majority of changes in the ARPA model over time have involved adding more explicit process]]. The biggest change happened when [[ARPA became DARPA in 1972 because of the increased scrutiny on military spending both in the government and outside of it]]. Which raises the question [[Was the shift from ARPA to DARPA a focus change or a process change?]] It’s tempting to throw out anything introduced since 1972 unless it was a codification of a previously implicit rule. For the most part, it is a good idea to [[Pay attention to DARPA’s informal process and ignore formal process]]. However, the world has changed since 1972 ([[WTF happened in 1971? - Article]]) so it’s worth considering whether some adjustments were made to enable DARPA to more effectively operate in the world. ### Additional Process Changes * Some time before 1993 shifted to a three phase development system. * **Ignore - additional process** * [[The Heilmeier Catechism]] was introduced in 1975, so it did not contribute to any of the output in the 60’s or early 70’s. In fact, [[cummingsARPAPARCDream2018]] attributes the decline in output to its structure and an implied focus on results. There are arguments both ways, Many explicit DARPA rules like transient program managers are just codifications of previous implicit rules so the catechism may have been an informal rule of thumb test. Additionally, Heilmeir himself was an engineer who also discovered phenomena that enabled liquid crystal displays so he presumably understood the process of true invention and discovery. On the *other* hand, he worked on planning for McNamara so he very much bought into a top-down mentality. * **Ignore - additional process** Though it seems like it could be useful as a thinking framework as long as it isn’t used as a bludgeon. * Currently, DARPA managers do go/nogo checks every few months on performers. From stories about [[JCR Licklider]] program managers used to exert less control on performers. I suspect that the ability to move money quickly away from things that aren’t working is important though. * **Ignore - additional process** * In the 1960’s DARPA program managers didn’t didn’t do open solicitations for grants through an official government system - they just gave money to whom they wanted. [[Restrictions on spending money happen when you reach trust limits]] * **Ignore - additional process** * In the 1960’s it wasn’t official policy that[[DARPA Program managers have a tenure of four to five years]] but the official policy was just a codification of the informal rules when Program Managers started hanging around too long. * While technically it’s addition process, this is just a codification of an informal rule * Currently, [[Every program at DARPA is intensely technically scrutinized by the tech council]]. In the 1960’s the process was a quick meeting between the Program Manager and the director laying out what they wanted to do. * This one is tricky - from conversations with program managers, the Tech Council sounds useful because it enables a clear goal for PMs without restricting what they do. [[The ‘framework’ DARPA PMs use to create a program is by modeling the tech council]] * In 2001 DARPA changed who can be a prime contractor from anybody (including research labs and startups) to only large companies. * This one is also tricky - [[fuchsRethinkingRoleState2010]] makes the argument that this is an adjustment for the fact that Corporate R&D has declined and it’s hard for startups to get products into production so one of DARPAs new roles is almost as a systems manager. * [[Government research is corporate R&D for United States Inc]] * [[§Corporate R&D Constraints]] * [[Companies want R&D to be off of their balance sheets]] * [[Old school Pharma VCs add value because they help startups go through an established sales process to pharma companies]] * [[Frontier tech has bespoke sales channels]] * [[Manage the Transfer not the Technology]] ### Other * [[Starting in 2001, DARPA directors began to sync up with presidential administrations]]. This suggests that there’s been a shift in the politicization of the organization. * Obviously this seems bad.  [Web URL for this note](http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/The+definition+of+the+ARPA+model+has+changed+over+time) [Comment on this note](http://via.hypothes.is/http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/The+definition+of+the+ARPA+model+has+changed+over+time)