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10 Jul 09

US Army Announces Test of Wikis to Revise Tactics, Techniques and Procedures

www.army.mil/...tics-techniques-and-procedures - Preview

army information sharing collaboration doctrine web2.0 social_media

21 May 09

Hotgrinds Presentation

A presentation on SlideShare about the functions and features of an online, collaborative debating platform, a version of which is being used by the intelligence community as part of the BRIDGE program.

www.slideshare.net/...sentation-main-functionnalitiz - Preview

intelligence information sharing collaboration web2.0 argumentation_debate

20 May 09

Building Bridges with the U.S. Intelligence Community

radar.oreilly.com/...ing-bridges-with-the-us-i.html - Preview

intelligence information sharing open source

Imagine how happy I was six months later to hear about a formalized and much easier way to bring outside expertise into the IC thanks to the dedicated efforts of a few intelligence professionals and the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Analysis. Appropriately enough, this project is named BRIDGE.
Since BRIDGE is Dan's brainchild, I've asked him to convey its purpose and function:

BRIDGE is designed to enable crowd-sourcing of intelligence applications--following the iPhone AppStore model--by providing a low barrier-to-entry platform to stimulate innovation and enable analysts to discover next generation capabilities that have value to their mission.

BRIDGE takes the Wiki model which enabled end users to easily contribute textual content en masse, and extends it to technology providers, enabling them to contribute technologies that enhance the intelligence mission in a matter of days. It is important to emphasize BRIDGE is not a Web2.0 tool, it is a low barrier to entry environment where promising Web2.0 tools can be placed - and analysts can use them to uncover their value prior to acquisition.

Since BRIDGE exposes key web services that emulate the mission environment, promising tools can be plucked from BRIDGE and quickly integrated into classified environments. This enables providers to develop against these endpoints in an unclassified setting, get feedback from users enabling shorter development spirals, mash-up new combinations of services, and dramatically reduce the time it takes to transition software to the mission setting. BRIDGE uses a "perpetual beta" model giving users an EARLY look at technologies--and a chance to provide feedback while they are still maturing.

Another unique characteristic of BRIDGE is that it provides an environment for Analytic Outreach--a place where IC analysts can reach out to expertise elsewhere in federal, state, and local government, in academia, and industry. New communities of interest can form quickly in BRIDGE through the “web of trust” access control model--access to minds outside the intelligence community creates an analytic force multiplier.
5 more annotations...
- Here are three of the six applications currently in use on BRIDGE. Dan tells me that dozens more are on the way.
- Collaborative Analysis of Competing Hypotheses
- Hot Grinds
  HotGrinds serves as an evidence-based structured discourse forum at the crossroads of a wiki, a collaboration platform and social network
  Semantic search, expertise identification, and management overviews of debate provide greater collective awareness and enhanced collaboration
- Visually Structured Analytic Software
- One of the new applications coming up will be a Web-based version of Palantir Technologies' Analytic Platform

22 Nov 08

Data Catalog - District of Columbia

The District of Columbia is providing RSS feeds as well as mashups of "city operational data," such as crime reports, building permits, purchase orders, and much more. This seems like a great example of using new media/web 2.0 technologies to increase government transparency.

data.octo.dc.gov - Preview

collaboration information sharing new_media web2.0 e-gov

For years the District of Columbia has provided public access to city operational data through the Internet. Now the District provides real-time data from multiple agencies to citizens, a catalyst ensuring agencies operate as more responsive, better performing organizations. Use the data catalog below to subscribe to a live data feed in Atom format and access data in XML, Text/CSV, KML or ESRI Shapefile formats.

DARPA BAA News Feed Being Removed

DARPA is taking a step backwards with this move. Just as most other government websites are beginning to take advantage of RSS feeds and Web 2.0 technologies, DARPA has removed their RSS feeds for Broad Agency Announcements, instead reverting to Web 1.0-style email alerts. Newsflash: People don't want to get more email! People want to use email for...well...MAIL! They want to receive news via news feeds in a feed reader.

www.darpa.mil/...BAA_update.html - Preview

information sharing web2.0

Beginning Saturday, November 15, there will no longer be a DARPA BAA
Announcements news feed.
In lieu of a DARPA feed, you can register with FedBizOpps to receive
notifications when they post new DARPA-related content. Once you
have registered and logged in, you can set up a “Saved Search” that
will periodically review all newly posted information and send an
email notification.

Microsoft FusionX solution for government

Looks like Microsoft is getting into the intelligence software business. Let's hope FusionX works better than Vista!

www.microsoft.com/...default.aspx - Preview

information sharing intelligence collaboration

18 Nov 08

A tale of four IT programs

An article in November's Armed Forces Journal about how IT programs are being used in the conduct of counterinsurgency. Web-based/web-inspired systems making use of blogs, wikis, and forums have been most successful thus far, as have those using what could be called a user-centered design approach.

www.afji.com/3738679 - Preview

coin information sharing collaboration it

In the spring of 2005, a tactical problem met a technical solution. While working as a program manager in the Information Processing Technology Office of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Mari Maeda began speaking with soldiers returning from Iraq and discovered an operational need: Soldiers at the battalion level and below needed additional information technology to better conduct counterinsurgency operations.
Every day, soldiers were learning about their operating environment and their enemy. The knowledge they gained while on patrol or conducting a mission could mean the difference between life and death, mission success or failure. However, they had only limited information technology assets available and none properly suited to the challenges of counterinsurgency, where information must not only be passed between echelons, it must be shared laterally between small units and stored for replacement units.
Troops in theater had been creative in their approaches to the challenge. Some units developed databases employing Microsoft Access, some used massive spreadsheets linked to relevant files, others simply did things the old fashioned way — with filing cabinets full of paper reports. One of the more creative and well-resourced approaches was the development of CavNet by the 1st Cavalry Division. Developed entirely in house by 1st Cavalry, CavNet was essentially a collection of blogs and forums that allowed junior leaders down to the squad level to share information with one another across the entire division. It was so successful that various forms are still in use.
Seeing gaps in capability and a clear operational need, soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division teamed with Maeda to work on what would be called the Tactical Ground Reporting system, or TIGR (pronounced “tiger”).
15 more annotations...
- MAP-CENTRIC SOFTWARE
  TIGR is map-centric software developed to aid information-sharing at the battalion and below, with emphasis on the squad and platoon levels. Along with Force XXI Battle Command Brigade-and-Below (FBCB2), it is one of very few pieces of information technology created for small units.
- By working directly with the soldiers who would use the software, developers were able to meet a one-year development schedule and to create a system meeting or exceeding user requirements.
- Among users in the field, TIGR has been a success. It is routinely cited for saving lives and being an indispensable tool for effective counterinsurgency operations. A user-friendly, map-based graphic user interface, flexible reporting and search tools, and the ability to store multimedia are cited as strengths of the system.
- Though popular with troops in the field, TIGR gained support within the Army more slowly. The unorthodox fielding method put it outside of the normal acquisition system. In addition, the capabilities that make it popular — principally the ability to share information across all echelons — are somewhat at odds with standards for the sharing of classified information. In spite of setbacks, the program appears to be reaching a tipping point and is scheduled for fielding to most of the brigades in Iraq by early 2009.
- FusionNet was developed by the staff of the XVIII Airborne Corps in conjunction with CC Intelligent Solutions, a private software-development firm. FusionNet was a means for the corps to streamline the bottom-up flow of information typical of counterinsurgency and help it develop a common operating picture across the theater.
- Though FusionNet was developed and fielded with astonishing rapidity by military standards, it had not yet been officially certified for use on Army networks by the Army G-6 (information management). The corps commander made the decision to operate FusionNet “at risk” and thereby bypassed the G-6 certification process. Primarily because of this, the system became unique to XVIII Airborne Corps and has been phased out in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  Following the departure of the corps, the Combined Information Data Network Exchange (CIDNE) came into prominence. Developed by Intelligent Software Solutions in conjunction with III Corps and championed by Central Command, CIDNE is a Web-based system with similar attributes to FusionNet, but with enhancements such as a leader engagement tool. Like FusionNet and TIGR, CIDNE incorporated commercial off-the-shelf technologies in a novel way. With four major releases since fall 2006, CIDNE has become standard for enemy activity reporting in Iraq, though it has not been adopted Army-wide. Like FusionNet, CIDNE has a suite of tools generally used at brigade and above. Discussions are underway for linking CIDNE and TIGR to address the needs of higher-echelon staff users that CIDNE serves and the patrol leaders that are served by TIGR.
- MarineLink was conceived about the same time as TIGR and CIDNE. MarineLink is similar to the other programs in that it is a web-based system developed by a small team of software engineers working directly with troops in the field to fill an operational need. What really set MarineLink apart was the rapidity with which it was adopted across the Marine Corps and became ubiquitous among Marine units. In contrast, FusionNet essentially ceased to exist outside of the XVIII Airborne Corps, while CIDNE and TIGR are generally restricted to Iraq.
  What made the difference was the fielding system the Marine Corps had in place for networked software. While the requirements are the same as those for the Army — with regard to bandwidth, information security and other requirements — the Marine Corps has put emphasis on expediting review and approval for new systems that meet operational needs in the field. The result is Marines have the information technology they need down to the lowest level and have in place the infrastructure to support the program worldwide.
- FusionNet, TIGR and CIDNE were able to reach theater rapidly because theater commanders approved “at risk” operation. They are still bogged down with further certification.
  Though the Army has made an effort to streamline its acquisitions process and had some successes, the process for information technology remains slow. It is important to protect networks, to ensure unity of effort and to ensure IT platforms can communicate with one another. However, the process could be made to operate more efficiently. With MarineLink, the Marine Corps demonstrated an ability to do in months what takes the Army years.
- TECH-SAVVY ENEMIES
  A great deal has been made of the “revolution in military affairs” that accompanied the incorporation of information technology into U.S. military forces. We must keep in mind a similar revolution has occurred among the nonstate enemies the U.S. is confronting in Iraq, Afghanistan and the wider war on terrorism. Our enemies have access to wireless communications, satellite communications, the Internet, computers and many of the same software tools used within the military. They have relatively flat hierarchies, so information can flow quickly from one group to the next. Attacks can be planned and coordinated via e-mail, executed with the assistance of cell phones and reported for propaganda value on a Web site.
  The information technology employed by insurgents and terrorists is easy to use, inexpensive and readily available via commercial channels. Because these are relatively small organizations, they are able to upgrade capabilities rapidly.
- To maintain an information edge, the U.S. military must be able to keep pace with much smaller, nimbler organizations. Lessons taken from experience developing TIGR, FusionNet, CIDNE and MarineLink indicate we can do much better in this.
- Getting scientists and troops together is not enough, however. Other steps are necessary to get software fielded in a timely fashion.
- For instance, the Army gives no special priority for the certification of networked hardware or software specifically designed for troops in combat. It can take months or years of testing and evaluation to officially clear systems for the field. In contrast, the Marines and Special Forces have created fast-track certification for wartime IT.
- The software explored in this article also demonstrates the value of Web-based databases for counterinsurgency.
- Finally, information must be allowed to flow freely from peer to peer and between echelons in counterinsurgency operations.
- his does not mean allowing an information free-for-all. There must be procedures in place to ensure the quality of reporting and security of information. The information must be allowed to flow, however, or we will be at a permanent disadvantage.

30 Sep 08

FBI creates knowledge wiki

www.fcw.com/...153926-1.html - Preview

information sharing intelligence collaboration

The FBI is testing a new collaborative internal Web site, or wiki, called Bureaupedia that officials say will enable users to create an encyclopedia of lessons learned, best practices and subject-matter expertise.
Officials see Bureaupedia as a knowledge management tool that will let agents and analysts share their experiences to ensure that their accumulated insight remains after they retire.

29 Sep 08

Blogging Dream Team Joins Forces to Challenge Engadget, TreeHugger and More - ReadWriteWeb

The blogging platform behind the new "Crowd Fusion" project is the kind of thing I have been thinking about for a while. While there are good tools for collaboratively creating and sharing content (e.g. wikis, Google Docs, etc.), currently there is no good way for a project team to collaboratively collect and process information. Each individual will have his/her own information stream and processing workflow. Each individual works individually up to the point at which something is shared with the group on a wiki, etc. The system behind Crowd Fusion, however, turns collection and processing of online information into a collaborative process as well. Sounds like this could work well as an online, distributed, OSINT platform.

www.readwriteweb.com/...ging_dream_team_joins_forc.php - Preview

collaboration intelligence information sharing

What's so special about it? The system has a built-in RSS reader that team leaders seed with subscriptions (writers can add more at will), it's easy to push related links from other blogs out onto the published site and the system allows for the management of multiple responsibilities for posts like finding and sizing images, copy editing and more. Obsessable says it is aggregating about 1,000 topical links each day from around the web. It's all pretty involved but we couldn't help but be jealous of the publishing interface.

21 Jun 08

Final Skynet satellite launched

In case you missed it. I would make a snarky comment about Sarah Connor, T-1000s, or Cyberdyne, but others have beaten me to the punch, in particular

http://www.geekologie.com/2008/06/post_28.php
and
http://1337g33k.wordpress.com/2008/06/13/sarah-connor-has-failed-the-british-just-built-skynet/

news.bbc.co.uk/...7451867.stm - Preview

information sharing infowar ncw