A Framework for Evaluating Application of Smart Cards and Related Technology Within the Department of Defense.

The author presents a new framework for evaluating the evolutionary upgrade paths of card technologies Many functions which are now either not being done, or are being done manually, could be automated using card technologies. There is a revolution underway in card technologies, making them viable solutions to an expanding set of problems. The author examines these card technology initiatives, the shrinking defense budget, card selection issues, card authentication techniques, and revolutionary acquisition. Conclusions stress that card technology systems can be viewed as evolutionary upgrade paths that change over time. Simple cost benefit analysis does not capture the evolving nature of advancing technology Effective evaluations of evolutionary card systems must consider this temporal component, and a framework, such as the one presented in this thesis, is needed for comparing alternative card systems.