Army Design Methodology: Applicability
Army Design Methodology (ADM) was developed in response to the multi-faceted and highly dynamic environments that Army leaders have to manage in the twenty-first century. A variety of political, economic, military, cultural, and diplomatic factors interact with each other in unpredictable ways. Furthermore, the adversaries’ tactics are becoming increasingly complex, including but not limited to predatory economic practices, political subversion, proxies, cyber warfare, and the employment of social media bots and advanced technology (Grome et al., 2020). ADM is defined as a methodology for applying critical and creative thinking to understand and solve unfamiliar problems; it is used by commanders during the conceptual stage of planning operations (Grome et al., 2020). It is a framework for understanding and interpreting complexity without falling into cognitive traps, such as confirmation bias or availability heuristics. ADM is applied during the conceptual planning stage of complex operations.
Army Design Methodology: Process
There are specific core activities involved in the employment of the ADM. These include: recognizing complexity, understanding complex problems, envisioning potential solutions, capturing and conveying insights, and collaborating with others (Grome et al., 2020). Firstly, commanders consider that the situation and resolution are not as straightforward as they might appear. Secondly, they develop a comprehensive understanding of the nature of the problem and the current operational environment in which it occurs (Grome et al., 2020). Thirdly, they explore different ways of addressing the issue and develop insightful plans. Fourthly, these insights are formulated in a way that would be intelligible to other stakeholders and decision-makers. Finally, the team shares their multiple perspectives and collaborates to find a viable solution. Army Design Methodology generally consists of grasping the complexity and collaborating with others to visualize a solution.
References
Grome, A., Weyhrauch, W. S., Crandall, B., Polander, E., & Laufersweiler, D. (2020). Managing complex problems: A synthesis of research on Army Design Methodology and strategic thinking.United States Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences. Web.