The Art of Military Experimentation
Abstract
This paper is part of CNA's project on military experimentation. The project s products are: The Art of Military Experimentation (this document) The Practice of Military Experimentation, and Wotan's Workshop: Military Experiments Before World War II. The different products are intended to serve different readers purposes. The newly assigned civilian analyst might want to start here, with The Art of Military Experimentation. The military officer (active duty or otherwise) newly assigned to an organization devoted to military experimentation, is advised to start by reading The Practice of Military Experimentation. Either should then read Wotan s Workshop, and then the other s starting point. This document, The Art of Military Experimentation, looks at the thinking behind such experiments and explores the question of how to conceive of and plan experiments that will be fruitful of information, taking the execution of the experiments somewhat for granted. The companion The Practice of Military Experimentation, by contrast, focuses more on the execution of the experiments, with the intellectual underpinnings examined only to the (considerable) extent that is necessary for good execution. Wotan s Workshop presents pre-World War II examples of American and German experiments as case studies. A conceptually related, albeit organizationally separate, effort has produced Analysis Planning for a Domestic Weapon-of-Mass-Destruction Exercise. It stands alone, and the person working on such a project need not read any of the other products. However, the methodology-fancier who likes The Art of Military Experimentation might want to look at it as well.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA639180
Entities
People
- Brian Mccue
Organizations
- CNA ANALYSIS AND SOLUTIONS ALEXANDRIA VA