Improving Analytical Support to the Warfighter: Campaign Assessments, Operational Analysis, and Data Management

Abstract

Assessments are critical for an organization to understand how well the organization performs its mission; both what it produces as an output and what it achieves as an outcome. Assessments provide a rigorous analytic bridge between the functioning activities of the organization and those decisions necessary to make improvement; often articulated in policies and plans. Assessments often can help identify opportunities for vertical alignment of goals and objectives and the horizontal integration of capabilities to achieve those goals and objectives. The end result of assessments is to continuously improve how well the organization achieves its goals and objectives and to provide opportunities to innovate. Assessments must follow a comprehensive approach that is multidisciplinary, multinational, and interagency. Assessments have a role to play before, during, and after an operation and can significantly improve overall performance of the organization. Useful assessments frequently become a management center of gravity, especially under conditions of scrutiny. Useful means several things. Aligned and integrated assessments within a theater must speak with one voice, establish manageable expectations, and serve many masters. First and foremost, assessments must serve the commander and support decision making. Assessments must add value "down and in" to the subordinate commanders whose assets are being tasked to collect and analyze. Assessments must support reporting requirements "up and out", often through multiple chains of command to national governments in order to satisfy national security objectives. The proper alignment and integration of assessments is critical to achieve one voice and minimize competition among messages and across resources. Despite the critical role that assessments play, organizations frequently treat assessments as an afterthought.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 22, 2010
Accession Number
ADA535469

Entities

People

  • Boby Claflin
  • Dave Sanders
  • Greg Boylan

Organizations

  • Military Operations Research Society

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Asymmetric Warfare
  • Center Of Gravity
  • Combatant Commanders
  • Communities
  • Data Management
  • Doctrine
  • Environment
  • Force Structure
  • Governments
  • Information Operations
  • Lessons Learned
  • Military Operations
  • National Governments
  • National Security
  • Operations Research
  • Security
  • Training

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.