History

C600 Problem Framing Student Aid 2014

Extracts from Doctrinal Publications:
ADRP 5-0 (2012)
2-8. A problem is an issue or obstacle that makes it difficult to achieve a desired goal or objective. In a broad sense, a problem exists when an individual becomes aware of a significant difference between what actually is and what is desired. In the context of operations, an operational problem is the issue or set of issues that impede commanders from achieving their desired end state.
2-48. The problem statement generated during problem framing communicates the commander’s understanding of the problem or problem set upon which the organization will act.

FM 6-0 (2014)
9-61. A problem is an issue or obstacle that makes it difficult to achieve a desired goal or objective. The problem statement is the description of the primary issue or issues that may impede commandersfrom achieving their desired end states.
9-62. How the problem is formulated leads to particular solutions. It is important thatcommanders dedicate the time to identify the right problem to solve and describe it clearly in a problemstatement.

References
“An Unknown Future and a Doubtful Present-Writing the Victory Plan of 1941” Charles E. Kirkpatrick, US Army Center of Military History, 2010 http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/093/93-10/index.html (about a US Army Major tasked to determine and solve the problems of WWII before America’s entry).

“Army Planning Doctrine: Identifying the Problem is the Heart of the Problem” LTC (ret) Thomas G. Clark, Ph.D. Military Review Nov-Dec 2007, p 70-76 http://usacac.army.mil/CAC2/MilitaryReview/repository/MREditions2007-English.xml#November-December (using Custer’s dilemma at the Little Bighorn as an example).

Discussion:
1) The military decision making process (MDMP) is derived from the scientific method. Just as an experiment focuses on a hypothesis, an operations order focuses on a mission (although written as a statement, its accomplishment is often in question). Without the luxury of a control group, Soldiers use history, experience, and judgment to experiment (wargame or analyze) courses of action.
• An observation prompts the scientific method: An apple fell, but why?
• A problem prompts The MDMP: I’m required to protect the division’s western flank, but how (given my understanding of the critical aspects which I derive from my mission (or METT-TC) analysis)?

2) Problems are not unique to the military. Moneyball is a creative solution to a baseball dilemma, Harry Potter finds himself in one predicament after another, and even with Acme’s best technology, Wile E. Coyote remains in a quandary.
3) Since the problem includes critical aspects, it is important to determine those aspects before writing a problem.
• In some instances, the critical aspects are obvious from the FACTS. If required to disassemble a rifle blindfolded in 1 minute, it is obvious that the blindfold and time limit are the critical conditions that make the simple disassembly into a problem.
• In those instances where the facts do not lead to an obvious understanding of the problem, we must process the facts into information(by asking SO WHAT?), analyze the information to increase knowledge (by asking WHICH MEANS?), and apply judgment to gain an understanding(by asking THEREFORE?).
• A popular ethical dilemma helps illustrate the process.
WHAT: You are driving along on a wild, stormy night in your car that can only accommodate one passenger. You pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for the bus: an old lady who looks as if she is about to die, an old friend who once saved your life, and the perfect person you have been dreaming about. SO WHAT: You can only offer a ride to one person.
WHICH MEANS: You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first. You could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back. However, you may never be able to find your perfect dream lover again.
THEREFORE: You could give the car keys to the old friend, and let him take the lady to the hospital, while you stay behind and wait for the bus with the person of your dreams.

4) Just as key tasks shape a mission statement, critical conditions frame the problem. Once you develop a list of critical conditions, determine which ones are so important that they must be included in your problem. A rule of thumb is to have one critical condition for each mission variable.

5) The Army has tools to analyze several mission variables, including mission analysis; intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB) to analyze the terrain and enemy; terrain analysis using OAKOC (observation & fields of fire, avenues of approach, key terrain, obstacles, cover & concealment); analysis of the civil variables using ASCOPE (areas, structures, capabilities, organizations, people, events); orSWEAT-MS (sewer, water, electricity, academics, transportation, medical, and security).

6) Often the critical conditions that create the problem are also the key to solving it.
• A child has a problem taking a metal key off a common “unbroken metal ring,”but an adult knows “the trick.”
• Prior to D-Day, the Allies wrestled with the following problem. How can the Allies establish in France a lodgment sufficient to support all actions required to defeat Germany when: all feasible sites are well defended, actions required to secure a lodgment will likely reduce its utility, required Coalition Force build-up is difficult to conceal, and the Axis can mass combat power on the objective faster than the Allies? During Overlord, the Allies made a desolate site feasible, used the build-up to deceive the enemy, and interdicted German reinforcements.
7) Remember, the field grade’s job is to take mountains of data and turn it into understanding to help the commander. These two lesson plans from the World War II Museum should give you an appreciation for how much processing, analysis and judgment it took to give Eisenhower an understanding of the “lunar connection,” how both tides and illumination, contributed to the mission variables of Time and Terrain/Weather. View these two links: www.ww2sci-tech.org/lessons/lesson1.pdfandwww.ww2sci-tech.org/lessons/lesson2.pdf. Once he understood that the German obstacles were too close to the beach to stop the Allies from disembarking during low tide, Eisenhower concluded that doing so was best, even though it forced Soldiers to cover more ground under fire!

Suggestions:
1) Review the online lesson C411 Army Design Methodology (ADM) and Understanding in Phase 2, the references cited on this student aid, and the Overlord Problem articulated in discussion point 6.

2) Conduct your METT-TC Analysis before you write the problem.
• Even if you think you know what the problem is, show your analysis first.
• Copying facts from the scenario is not sufficient and uses space that you should use to articulate your METT-TC ANALYSIS.
• Use the What?, So What?, Which Means? Therefore? Approach. (Generally, What = C, So What =B, Which Means =A, and Therefore = A+). As an example, citing that there are 6,000 militiamen or 35,000 civilians in 13,000 households does not contribute to an understanding of the problem as much as saying that, on average almost 50% of New Olaf’s families have a connection to the militias; therefore we can influence the militias through the populace, and, the populace through the militias.

3) Write the problem.
• One technique is: “How can (I, or my unit) do……., without ……… given that……….?
• Proofread your problem, and rearrange the critical aspects so that the problem is as clear as possible. The goal is to articulate a problem rather than a riddle.

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