Knowledge Management and Collaboration in an Effects-Based Operations Environment

Abstract

New warfighting concepts are currently under development to improve the ability of future Joint Force Commanders to rapidly and decisively conduct particularly challenging and important operational missions as they transition to the fighting force described in Joint Vision 2020. This paper describes one element that is part of these new concepts: knowledge management and collaboration as conducted to support effects-based operations. Collaboration offers great potential to better enable warfighters to plan, monitor, execute, and assess activities across the spectrum of joint functional areas. Collaboration is also essential to develop a shared situational awareness among heterogeneous, distributed team members. Effects-based operations is defined as a “process for obtaining a desired strategic outcome, or ‘effect’ on the enemy, through the synergistic and cumulative application of the full range of national (military and nonmilitary) capabilities at all levels of conflict." This paper reports on the results of a survey administered during an experiment conducted to help refine the effects-based planning process. Suggestions for improving knowledge management include developing business rules for working in a collaborative information environment and improved display capabilities to help planners track information and documents during different phases of the planning process.