Dealing with the problem of unintended outcomes

Many military operations today occur in heavily populated areas. They are also collaborative efforts with other nations. These complex military actions may produce both intended and unintended outcomes. Unintended outcomes are often public relations issues that involve units of military personnel. Examples include social faux pas or the perception of cultural imperialism. Currently, military planners lack the ability to systematically consider the impact of individual, team, or unit assignments on mission outcomes.

The iTEAM tool was designed by our Organizational Architectures & Process Modeling scientists to address this recognized need. This tool helps planners to select more appropriate operational courses of action through assignments that will better meet the mission objectives. i-TEAM allows planners to conduct effects-based planning. Planners first choose tasks that they judge will accomplish the goals of the mission without unintended outcomes. Then, units with the necessary skills are evaluated as to how well they ‘fit’ within the mission environment.

The effects-based concept relates tasks and their assigned units to effects that will achieve the objectives in a situation, considering the perceptions of the local residents and coalition partners. i-TEAM allows planners to evaluate the likelihood that a task, as performed by a particular unit, will achieve the desired outcomes. Planners are provided with the capability to apply effects-based concepts to assess factors that influence tasks outcomes and resulted in improved plans.

Back