Analyzing Effects Based Operations Special Meeting

Sue Iwanski, SPA, siwanski@spa-inc.net

Dr Richard Hayes, EBR, rehayes@ebrinc.com

 

Many organizations, within DoD as well as in the Inter-Agency and Coalition communities, are interested in the concept of Effects-Based Operations (EBO).  More and more of them are involved in conceptualizing, employing and analyzing military operations from that perspective.  However, many questions have been raised about the meaning, feasibility and value of an effects-based approach.  From the MORS point of view, the central questions are in the analytic realm.  To understand the potential of this approach, we need to evaluate the “state of the practice” for analyzing EBO.

The objectives of this special meeting are to:

 

·        Achieve an understanding of the analytical challenges inherent in EBO;

·        Explore what tools, data and metrics exist or need to be developed; and,

·        Relate the concept to what already exists.

 

The Chairs for this special meeting are Dr Jackie Henningsen, FS, SES, Associate Director for Modeling, Simulation and Analysis, Directorate for Command and Control, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, HQ USAF and Major General Cash (USA), Commander, J-9, United States Joint Forces Command.  The Technical Co-Chairs are Ms Sue Iwanski of Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. and Dr Dick Hayes, President of Evidence Based Research, Inc. and currently MORS VP for Finance and Management. The goal of the meeting is to bring together people from a variety of interested organizations to share their work, develop a common view of the state of the practice, expose members of the broader analytic community to their needs, identify shortfalls and offer potential solutions.  The meeting will start in a mini-symposium format that will include selected keystone papers as well as operationally oriented panel discussions.  This will be followed by a two day workshop where the participants will meet in working groups to further examine specific topics.  Six Working Groups are planned in addition to the Synthesis Group.  They will focus on Decision Support for Operations; Decision Support for Force Structure Planning; Wargaming, Experimentation and Exercises; Indicators of Success, Fundamental Sciences, and Effects Based Analysis for Counterterrorism. 

 

The Special Meeting is scheduled for 29-31 January 2001 at Booz Allen Hamilton in Mc Lean, VA. Attendance will be by invitation only.  Those wishing to attend and not already involved in the organizing committee or planning effort should contact the MORS office and provide information about why their organization should be represented.