Army Design Methodology: Framing the Operational Environment

Table Of Content

• The Army Design Methodology: Enhancing Decision-Making in a Complex World
• Army Design Methodology: Framing the Operational Environment
• Army Design Methodology: Operational Art in Combat
• Framing Solutions in Army Design Methodology
• Framing Solutions in Army Design Methodology
• The Army Design Methodology: Enhancing Decision-Making in a Complex World

According to the Department of the Army (2015), breadth refers to acquiring a large amount of information in as little time as possible, while depth refers to using multiple sources to research a single category. Depth gathers relevant scholarly information and utilizes subject matter experts to understand a topic further. After the execution of brainstorming and research, the team attempts to identify relationships through mind mapping. The Department of the Army (2015) highlights that the commander and staff are more likely to succeed by understanding the natural tendencies of the OE. Additionally, they help identify patterns and relationships within the OE between variables and actors. Planning members utilize key concepts of collaboration, dialogue, and critical thinking to create visual aids and narratives of the OE.

The Army Design Methodology: Enhancing Decision-Making in a Complex World

By applying critical and creative thinking, the PATT adjusted their training program to best achieve the end state of a fully trained Ukrainian battle staff. In addition, CDRs and staff can effectively apply critical and creative thinking by conducting continuous collaboration and dialogue. “Systems thinking is a process of understanding how parts of a system work and influence each other as part of a greater whole” (DA, 2015, p. 1-7). The ADM uses systems thinking to identify problems, find solutions, and give planners a framework to organize complex and confusing information. The systems thinking approach is analytical thinking to see the interdependencies and relationships between elements within a system.

Army Design Methodology: Framing the Operational Environment

Graphics help stimulate understanding and organize information that shows the relationships between variables better than just through a narrative. He said, "Design is a strategic thinking construct that enables leaders to conduct the necessary Intellectual Preparation of the Battlefield in a manner that informs Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield activities." According to Britannica (2020), at the national strategic level, American leaders were concerned that communism in Vietnam would cause a domino effect and spread to neighboring countries. According to Builder et al. (1999), LTC Moore knew that enemy forces were slipping toward the border of Cambodia. Under the circumstances, he and his staff anticipated that the enemy would continue across the border and regroup for another attack. The Americans understood the relationship between the NVA and other Vietnamese citizens and wanted to prevent the rise of communism under any circumstance.

Army Design Methodology: Operational Art in Combat

A Finance SGM in an installation should collaborate with other senior leaders to create solutions to untimely pay adjustments that are prevalent in each organization. Applying key concepts and activities to frame solutions with other senior leaders should help alleviate the financial hardship of Soldiers by identifying the current barriers that prevent a Soldier from receiving timely pay adjustments. The ADM activity of framing solutions will be vital in creating an operational approach to solve untimely pay adjustments. The tools and techniques that help frame problems include brainstorming, mind mapping, meta-questioning, questioning assumptions, and four ways of seeing (Department of the Army, 2015).

He is married to Victoria Fonseca, and they have four children, one son-in-law, and two grandchildren. He has served inevery leadership position, from Section Chief to Noncommissioned Officer Academy DeputyCommandant. He currently attends the Sergeants Major Course at the US ArmyNoncommissioned Officer Leadership Center of Excellence. On the macro scale of actors, Vietnam has a history of foreign rulers, from China's imperial rule to France's colonial rule. After World War II (WW2), Americans decided to intervene in Vietnam after the attack on a U.S.

Using the key concepts provides a foundation for building knowledge and understanding to find solutions to any problems. The activities discussed guide formulating of operational approaches, even though there are no prescribed ways. The products documented in framing solutions are essential for developing detailed plans for CDRs and staff. Lastly, the SGM being the most experienced and knowledgeable is an excellent asset in facilitating the ADM process in his organization by providing guidance and expertise when developing the right operational approach to achieve the desired results. Ill-structured problems require the use of ADM, and framing the problem is an activity within the ADM process, which involves a unique set of activities of its own.

Framing Solutions in Army Design Methodology

Commanders cannot understand the OE without framing problems, making the ADM step an integral part of the ADM framework. To be successful in all levels of war, leaders must understand the various parts of systems and how each part is related. As a concept of ADM, “systems thinking is a process of understanding how parts of a system work and influence each other as part of a greater whole” (Department of the Army, 2015, p. 1-7). The OE is a complex system that leaders must frame to facilitate a commander’s activities. Using the example of providing security to a main supply route, leaders will use systems thinking to employ the command and control warfighting function to organize the different elements of combat power. The use of systems thinking enables leaders to integrate the elements of operational art and exercise the critical and creative thinking needed to identify obstacles under the framing the problem activity.

Using the Army Design Methodology Process to Frame Problems

During practical exercises at the SGM-A, students use classroom resources to brainstorm obstacles impeding their instructor’s guidance. The overall synthesis of framing activities, key concepts, tools, techniques, the role of the senior enlisted leader, and the Ia Drang battle in Vietnam has demonstrated the importance and effectiveness of ADM through all stages of framing the OE. The lack of ADM used during the battle of Ia Drang highlights the implications of not fully understanding the OE and enemy.

The Army Design Methodology: Enhancing Decision-Making in a Complex World

Although the design work was constrained by time available for brainstorming and research, a tremendous amount of information was discovered and shared with the group. The methodology allows everyone to maintain a strategic perspective while simultaneously contributing information and new ideas to overcome the tactical challenges that lay ahead. Solving the right problems has always been the goal of the Military Decision Making Process but, the planning process has proven to be insufficient as evidenced by 11 years of attrition warfare.

Following the activities within the ADM process allows commanders and staff members the ability to frame an OE properly. To facilitate framing a problem in organizations, leaders must understand what framing the problem entails as an activity, including understanding key ADM concepts, and tools and techniques. Using the ADM concepts of operational art and systems thinking assists leaders with framing ill-structured problems. Brainstorming and questioning assumptions as a staff are critical problem framing tools and techniques needed to identify obstacles impeding the desired end state. Operations and Financial Management SGMs can facilitate framing the problem in organizations by brainstorming obstacles in preparation for an FTX and using data analytics to create and narrate visual models.

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LTC Moore failed to consider how the enemy forces would react to the American presence, which almost cost him his battalion. Had the staff used the ADM process, they may have predicted an aggressive enemy and discerned how the OE might trend without American influence. Visual modeling is a way of presenting ideas that stimulate thinking through graphics or drawings. Graphic modeling techniques can be rich picture diagrams using symbols, words, or lines to depict relationships between variables and tell a story graphically (DA, 2015). An example will be drawings on a whiteboard or graphic art built on a slide show with a legend defining the symbols or words used.