Framing Solutions in Army Design Methodology

Table Of Content

• Using the Army Design Methodology Process to Frame Problems
• 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
• The Army Design Methodology: Enhancing Decision-Making in a Complex World

“A decisive point is a geographic place, specific key event, critical factor, or function that, when acted upon, allows CDRs to gain a marked advantage over an adversary or contribute materially to achieving success” (JCS, 2020, p. IV-32). An example of a decisive point is Ukraine’s successful disruption of the Russian military’s logistics which caused the Russians to abandon their vehicles due to a lack of fuel supplies (Davydenko et al., 2022). The analysis used in identifying a COG with its critical requirements and vulnerabilities, which also helps determine a decisive point, indicates systems thinking. Collaboration and dialogue occur between more than two people or organizations and build a mutual understanding of the OE, resulting in a unity of effort.

Using the Army Design Methodology Process to Frame Problems

Moreover, collaboration encourages people to speak candidly, which is an asset in planning. Critical thinking identifies relevant facts, statistics, and details to understand a situation and enables timely decision-making (Department of the Army, 2015). American politicians relied heavily on critical thinking to determine how the OE may trend, although LTC Moore appeared more reactive than forward-thinking. The Army Design Methodology Educational Program of Instruction consists of one-week of graduate level academic instruction followed by two-weeks of intense strategic planning. In the first week, Duke Leadership gathered intelligence and information on Afghanistan from all available resources, to include recent experience, and brought them into the classroom.

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

According to the Department of the Army (2020), “the SGM is key in the training and operations planning process, leveraging their experience and vast technical and tactical knowledge to advise the staff” (p. 2-5). With so much influence and knowledge, SGMs can facilitate framing the problem in organizations. Operations SGMs and Financial Management SGMs have the platform to facilitate the ADM process in organizations.

Army Design Methodology: Framing the Operational Environment

Framing the Operational Environment: From the Russia-Ukraine Conflict - RealClearDefense

Framing the Operational Environment: From the Russia-Ukraine Conflict.

Posted: Thu, 12 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Commanders and staff members cannot frame a problem if a problem statement is too vague, narrow in definition, or contains presumed solutions. To avoid poorly framing a problem, a practical approach would include an open discussion by a commander and their staff using the problem framing tools and techniques. Questioning assumptions and brainstorming effectively identifies obstacles and frames the problem. This work addresses a void in the literature discussing the use of Design Methodology to understand contemporary conflict that often manifests as small wars. Much of the existing work on the topic focuses on various ways to employ the methodology and rarely present examples of successful use.

Army Design Methodology: Operational Art in Combat

“The SGM is key in the training and operations planning process, leveraging their experience and vast technical and tactical knowledge to advise the staff and the Operations Officer” (Department of the Army, 2020, p. 2-5). With an understanding of the ADM process, key concepts, and activities, the SGM can expertly facilitate framing a solution in an organization through working groups. For instance, the SGM works within working groups to develop solutions to organizational problems. SGM collaborating with the staff enables observation of their creative and critical thinking and may provide coaching when needed.

Soldiers and key leaders of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division are actively applying Operational Art and current Army Doctrine to assist in the planning of military operations. Since long before the initial invasion into Afghanistan Oct. 19, 2001, US troops have relied heavily upon the Military Decision Making Process for planning combat operations. While many people are comfortable with the status quo, change is inevitable and necessary, even more so in extended operations in a counterinsurgency environment.

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

According to the Department of the Army (2015), “brainstorming helps the team develop ideas and variables for further research and analysis” (p. 3-6). To properly frame the problem, leaders must identify obstacles, and brainstorming is a technique that facilitates the ADM framework. Brainstorming in an organization’s public area, such as a multi-purpose room, will promote a shared understanding amongst the staff framing the problem.

Army Design Methodology: Operational Art in Combat

Inputs from disparate individuals vis-à-vis agencies are sought and deliberated upon, to ‘arrive’ at the most optimum decision outcome. More precisely, the military decision-making process relies on analyses, inputs and recommendations from various staff echelons, made under the overarching objective of assisting and lending clarity to the commander’s intent. The commander and staff normally work in a group/collective environment to plan, synchronise and control/ guide various small and large scale operations. The assumption underpinning the entire process is that inputs from all agencies/ individuals/are unbiased and attuned to ensure the meeting of command objectives in the best possible way. While such a rubric of decision-making model seems, and in most junctures, is, ‘fool-proof,’ with oversight mechanisms at every level, it is not without its underlying vulnerabilities and ‘pressure points’. The paper attempts to uncover a few such psychological pressure points and vulnerabilities which currently prevail in the decision making paradigm.

Using the Army Design Methodology Process to Frame Problems

This is a more strategic method of planning that appears to be a true form of art, coincidentally, it is known as Art of Design or Operational Art. According to the Department of the Army (2015), the planning team must assist the commander in understanding the operational variables, relevant actors, physical environment, and how each interacts with the other. Systems thinking is a key concept in which a series of interrelated components interact within the system.

LTC Moore did not achieve the desired end state because the overall framing of the OE suffered. LTC Moore did not use a written narrative in framing steps and instead relied solely on verbal commands. While LTC Moore and his battalion inflicted hundreds of casualties on the NVA, the American forces also suffered heavy losses.

Mind mapping begins with a single variable and ends after the planning team identifies all secondary variables and their relationships (Department of the Army, 2015). Also, mind mapping works well as a visual aid through symbols, lines, diagrams, and pictures representing relationships. While using the visual aid, planning teams can continue understanding the situation through more detailed meta-questioning and questioning assumptions. Lastly, the group uses four ways of seeing to understand how relevant actors view others, view themselves, and how actors view each other. Fortunately, as previously stated, the CSM, or SGM, acts on behalf of the commander at times to enable understanding among staff members and planners.

Historically, commanders (CDRs) and staff manage complex situations within an operational environment (OE) that continuously changes. Army design methodology (ADM) provides an approach to dealing with unfamiliar and complex problems. “ADM is a methodology for applying critical and creative thinking to understand, visualize, and describe problems and approaches to solving them” (Department of the Army [DA], 2019, p. 2-16). An example of a complex situation that needs a solution is Ellyatt’s (2022) report on Russian forces invading Ukraine to demilitarize the country. The situation is extraordinarily complex and requires unique solutions to alleviate the suffering of Ukrainian citizens and help keep their sovereignty.

Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Harold Moore, the commander of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, initiated the framing of the OE of Ia Drang on 13 November 1965, one day before the execution of the assault. During this minimal timeframe, LTC Moore did not allow his staff to gain a clear understanding of the OE. Instead, according to Moore (1965), LTC Moore briefed his commanders and staff on the potential enemy situation and operational plan after the unit consolidated at the landing zone X-RAY (LZ X-RAY). LTC Moore should have taken every step to understand the current state of the OE before the assault. LTC Moore communicated the end state to his staff and commanders but neglected to articulate contingencies.

With that belief in mind, the 1st Cavalry Division Commander, Major General (MG) Harry Kinnard, ordered his 3rd Brigade, led by Colonel (COL) Tim Brown, to execute an air assault to prevent the NVA from crossing into Cambodia. LTC Moore and his staff attempted to understand the current OE by conducting a brief flyby of the area and reports from external cavalry units. The current state of the OE included an open landing zone for his entire battalion and an unknown number of enemies nearby.