Information Environment

Mapping the Information Environment By Robert Cordray III Marc J. Romanych, Major, USA (Retired) Editorial Abstract: A follow-on discussion from last issue’s article, “A Theory Based View of IO,” authors Robert Cordray and Marc Romanych present a methodology to “map” the information environment, much like a commander’s J2 maps the physical characteristics of the area of operations. Giving clarity to the information environment, in turn, allows the commander to gain an understanding of its impact and importance, ultimately leading to a more effective information operation. I information operations (IO) are to be fully integrated and is needed to organize our view of the environment. For this executed by the Joint Force, then the commander and staff’s purpose, a model – the three domains of con? ict – developed visualization of the area of operations must be expanded to by the Department of Defense Command and Control Research include the information environment. However, graphic Program (DoD CCRP) is particularly appropriate. 3 The CCRP representation of the information environment remains a model describes three distinct, but closely interconnected challenge for IO staffs.

The problem confronting the staff is domains – physical, information, and cognitive – that, in how to analyze and succinctly describe the character and effects sum, explain the importance of information to military of an operating environment that is largely non-physical and operations and, for the purposes of analysis, the character of abstract. the information environment. The three domains can be very This article presents a methodology that, as part of Joint brie? y described as follows (see Figure 1). Intelligence Preparation of the The physical domain is the Battlespace (JIPB), can be used to “For the practitioner of IO, the most real world environments of land, “map” the information environment intangible element of the information sea, air, and space. It is where in a manner similar to how the J2 conventional environment – information – is of maneuver and occur. As part of maps the physical characteristics of combat operations the area of operations. 1 The result supreme importance. the information environment, it is is a product called the “combined where individuals, organizations, information overlay;” a concise information systems, and the physical networks that support graphic that depicts where and how information ? owing in them reside. and through a given geographic area will impact military The cognitive domain is where individual and organizational operations. collective consciousness exists. It is where information is used to form perceptions and attitudes and make decisions. What is the Information Environment?

The information domain is formed by the intersection of the physical and cognitive domains, and is the abstract space where The information environment is a construct based upon the idea that the existence and proliferation of information information exists. The domain consists of information and is and information systems creates a distinct operating where the functions of information systems (i. e. , information dimension or environment. As a combination of tangible collection, processing, and dissemination) create information (physical information systems and networks) and intangible content and ? ow.

The information domain is the link between elements (information and decision-making), the information the reality of the physical domain and human perceptions and environment is both a resource for military operations and a medium in which armed forces operate. For the practitioner of IO, the most intangible element of the information environment – information – is of supreme importance. This is because, in spite of its lack of physical existence, the content and flow of information within a speci? c geographic area produces real, tangible effects in the physical world and on military forces present in the operating environment.

For these reasons, our understanding of the information environment must ultimately include how information content and ? ow affect the execution of military operations. 2 A Model of the Information Environment To rationally analyze the information environment and the relationship between its constituent elements, a framework Information Environment Construct 7 The cognitive aspects of media can have a dramatic impact on the in? uence of the civilian populace. decision-making in cognitive domain. As such it is critical to the command and control of military forces. It should be noted hat the three domains overlap and, therefore, are closely interconnected. 5 Information systems in the physical domain create and direct the ? ow of information in the information domain which, in turn, affects human perceptions, attitudes, and ultimately decision-making in the cognitive domain. Furthermore, decisions made in the cognitive domain are transmitted as orders and intent through the information domain and executed as actions in the physical domain. Although discussion of the information environment is often segregated by domain, in truth, any domain boundaries are arbitrary due to interdependences between the domains.

Consequently, an understanding of the information environment requires knowledge of all three domains and how they are linked to conventional military operations. Application of the Model JIPB products often dwell on the characteristics of the physical and cognitive domains while only brie? y addressing the information domain. However, to have utility to the planning and execution of an information operation, analysis must explain how information affects military decisionmaking in the cognitive domain and actions in the physical domain.

This “so what” of analysis can be developed only if the information domain is included in JIPB. To ensure all three domains are adequately addressed during analysis, it is necessary to “visualize” the structure of the information environment and the relationship between its components. Doctrinally, the ? rst two steps of JIPB result in a series of graphic products, such as a Modi? ed Combined Obstacle Overlay (MCOO), that help the commander visualize the militarily signi? cant aspects of the physical environment.

Unfortunately, joint doctrine does not provide a ready example of a graphical product for the information environment, and therefore, information’s importance to the joint force often goes unrecognized. A solution is a non-doctrinal intelligence product called a Combined Information Overlay, or CIO. De? ne the Battlespace Environment. Visualization of the information environment begins with the identi? cation of signi? cant characteristics of the battlespace during Step 1 of JIPB. Signi? cant characteristics are de? ned as “battlespace characteristics of possible signi? ance or relevance to the joint force and its mission. ”6 For IO, this equates to identifying existing and projected characteristics that are relevant to the content and ? ow of information in and through the operational area. Typically, these identi? ed signi? cant characteristics are broad elements the employment of information systems and networks (which, in turn, direct information content and ? ow). The information environment’s militarily significant characteristics vary widely depending on the operational area. This is because, like terrain, the information environment is not uniform in its composition.

Therefore, there is no single set of characteristics useful for analyzing every information environment. However, for the purposes of example, some broad characteristics that can serve as a starting point are: geography, populace, communications infrastructure, media, and societal organizations. Describe the Battlespace’s Effects. During Step 2 of JIPB the previously identi? ed signi? cant characteristics are evaluated using the three domain construct to determine speci? c impacts on operations in the information environment. To accomplish this task, the three domains are applied individually to each characteristic.

The result is an understanding of how each characteristic affects the employment of physical information systems and networks (physical domain), the use of information for decision-making (cognitive domain), and information content and ? ow (information domain): • Physical Domain. Applying the physical domain to the signi? cant characteristics focuses on what information systems in the operational area collect, process, and disseminate information. Identi? cation should include the tangible aspects of each signi? cant characteristic such as technical information systems and networks (e. . , radio towers, ? ber-optic networks, and telephone networks) and non-technical (human) information network nodes and links such as key leaders and face-to-face communications networks. Additionally, analysis should also show where those information systems and networks are located in the physical environment. • Cognitive Domain. This analysis focuses on the values, beliefs, and perceptions of key individuals and organizations in the operational area that make decisions, as well as how those decisions are formulated. This analysis Associated Press

Media’s effect on operations. 8 Summer 2005 Information environment characteristics, with their corresponding individual effects on operations, are analyzed to produce a comprehensive CIO which gives entire picture for the commander. should show how this “human mental programming” affects the value of speci? c information to those key individuals and organizations in the battlespace. • Information Domain. Analysis of this domain focuses on how information ? ows and the content of that information. Flow describes the exchange of information in terms of conduits, form, and speed.

Content includes the major subjects or topics circulating in the area of operations. As an example, the media can be easily analyzed using the three domains (see Figure 2). First, key physical features of the media, such as important radio and television broadcast towers, print production facilities, and other services associated with the production and dissemination of news reporting, are identi? ed and located. Next, the cognitive aspects of each media outlet’s in? uence on the civilian populace, third party organizations, and military forces’ perceptions are ascertained.

Finally, the information domain is evaluated in terms of media’s range and distribution (information ? ow), as well as subject matter and bias (information content) of speci? c media sources. The aggregate of the analysis should show which media outlets can affect military operations, and therefore must be addressed to affect information content and ? ow in the area of operations. combined and plotted on the map to show an aggregate of the effects in relation to the geography of the operational area (see Figure 3). Therefore, the information plotted on the CIO summarizes key aspects of the signi? ant characteristics and the three domains. For example, a CIO may include physical components such as key information nodes and networks (both technological and human), the primary paths by which information flows in and through the operational area, information content generally disseminated along each path, and cognitive aspects such as beliefs and perceptions that are important to the mission. The CIO is a guide, not a rigid template. The information included in the graphic can quickly become overwhelming if not presented in a concise manner. A re? ed and clearly presented CIO will usually have a greater effect on the commander than an overly complex graphic. One way to show more complex information in a relatively succinct manner is to break the operational area into sub-information environments. Sub-Information Environments Rarely will the composition of the information environment be uniform. The characteristics and impact of the information environment vary within a speci? c geographic area. Often, distinct sub-information environments are identi? ed; that is, areas in which the information environment’s signi? cant characteristics and effects notably differ from adjacent areas.

These sub-environments can be further analyzed to determine their composition and character. Ideally, analysis will identify those parts of the operational area that favor either friendly or adversary operations. For example, sub-information environments may be based on the signi? cant characteristics of ethnicity, media presence, and/or information access. One sub-environment may have a single ethnic group with wide-spread access to media and information, while another sub-information environment may have an entirely different populace group with limited or no access to outside media.

Figure 4 shows an example CIO which breaks the operational area into three distinct sub-information environments, and then explains how each sub-environment is different by comparing each environment’s significant characteristics. Building the CIO To understand the information environment, it is necessary to aggregate the effects of the physical, information, and cognitive domains on friendly and adversary forces. To help that visualization, analysts can build a graphic visualization tool – the CIO – that depicts the information environment’s effects on military operations.

It provides an overview of the information environment derived from analysis conducted during the ? rst two steps of JIPB. Building a CIO begins with a map of the operational area (ideally the same map used by the intelligence and operations staffs). The effects of the significant characteristics are An example of a Combined Information Overlay (CIO). 9 Whatever final form the Information Age by “By providing a clear and succinct Con? ict in the and David Ronfeldt CIO takes, it must present an John Arquilla picture of the information operationally relevant overview of (Santa Monica, California: RAND, the information environment.

Yet, environment, the commander can 1997). 3 every CIO will be unique because Further information about DoD readily grasp the importance and every information environment CCRP’s three domain model is different. Depending on the impact of information on military can be found in Understanding operational area, level of war, and Information Age Warfare, by operations. ” assigned mission, the information David S. Alberts. , John J. Garstka, environment’s militarily signi? cant Richard E. Hayes, and David A. Signori (DoD Command and characteristics will vary, as well as the relative importance of Control Research Program, Washington D.

C. , August 2001, each domain to military operations. pages 10-14). Conclusion The three domains of con? ict provide a useful framework for analyzing and characterizing the information environment. Applying the structure of the domains to the operating environment’s significant characteristics helps guide and organize analysis and provides a tool, the CIO, that graphically depicts where and how the information environment will impact military forces. Recent experiences during exercises and contingency operations demonstrate that this approach is readily understood by commanders and staffs.

Visualization of the information environment and its effects on military operations is essential to planning and executing an information operation. By providing a clear and succinct picture of the information environment, the commander can readily grasp the importance and impact of information on military operations. When the commander understands the information environment’s importance, the IO staff is more likely to gain the support and guidance needed to develop an effective information operation.

Endnotes 1 Emerging policy may exchange the term “battlespace” with “environment” (e. g. , Intelligence Preparation of the Environment). 2 The information and content aspects of the information environment originate from the two primary views of information – information-as-message and information-asmedium. For a further discussion see In Athena’s Camp: Preparing for 4 The text and diagram of the three domains is adapted from “Visualizing the Information Environment” by Marc J. Romanych (Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, Volume 29, Number 3). Not mentioned in this discussion the idea of a fourth domain – that of culture. Culture is an elusive dynamic that affects the attributes of all three domains, from social structures in the physical domain to language in the information domain, to values and beliefs in the cognitive domain. More work is needed to determine the place of culture in the three domain model. 6 JP 2-01. 3, Joint Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for Joint Intelligence Preparations of the Battlespace, 24 May 2000. 10 Summer 2005