Small Wars Journal

design

by Keith Vore

Journal Article | April 8, 2013 02:30 AM | Comments(1)

Deeper understanding of groupthink, its causes, and mitigation techniques should help a commander and his staff prevent it from occurring, and red teams can assist in the cause.

The Problem

by Johnny Lairsey

Blog post | February 27, 2013 09:30 AM | Comments(12)

The United States military wastes an inordinate amount of time attempting to solve symptoms instead of problems.

Wait A Minute—Just How Complex And Dangerous Is It?

by Dan McCauley

Journal Article | December 12, 2012 05:30 AM | Comments(6)

Current strategic guidance documents rely upon catchphrases and hyperbole to defer tough national security decision-making.

Design is Dead!

by Grant Martin

Journal Article | November 26, 2012 05:30 AM | Comments(13)

Design is to MDMP as the universe is to apples. All we can do now is apples.

BZ on Design Theory Considerations

by Peter J. Munson

Blog post | November 9, 2012 08:19 AM | Comments(0)

Frequent SWJ contributor MAJ Ben Zweibelson discusses design at Military Review.

Using Risk Management to Solve Strategic Problems

by Mark Phillips

Journal Article | October 25, 2012 04:30 AM | Comments(7)

Risk management and wicked messes like Afghanistan.

Narrative Led Operations: Put the Narrative First

by Thomas Elkjer Nissen

Journal Article | October 17, 2012 04:30 AM | Comments(4)

Fit the operation to the narrative, not the narrative to the operation.

Carl von Clausewitz, Meet Albert Einstein and Max Planck

by Grant Martin

Journal Article | October 3, 2012 04:30 AM | Comments(24)

One of the reasons, if not THE reason, that we struggled to accomplish our objectives in Afghanistan is that we applied an industrial-era approach to the way we conceptualize planning and operations.

Does Design Help or Hurt Military Planning: How NTM-A Designed a Plausible Afghan Security Force in an Uncertain Future - Part II

by Ben Zweibelson

Journal Article | July 16, 2012 04:55 AM | Comments(0)

Our team produced design deliverables that established a narrative and conveyed a recommendation that had a structured organizing logic associated with its creation.

Wargaming Courses of Action During Other-Than-Major Combat Operations

by George Hodge

Journal Article | June 22, 2012 04:19 AM | Comments(2)

The doctrine for wargaming during COA analysis falls short for small wars.

The Facets of Mission Command

by Dan McCauley

Journal Article | June 21, 2012 04:17 AM | Comments(6)

To implement mission command successfully, a shared understanding of the environment, problem, and strategic intent must exist with echelons above and below.

Military Design in Practice: A Case from NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan in 2012

by Ben Zweibelson

Journal Article | June 4, 2012 04:28 AM | Comments(66)

How operational planners applied military design to a wicked problem set in Afghanistan.

A Critical Perspective on Operational Art and Design Theory

by Adam Elkus

Journal Article | April 30, 2012 04:50 AM | Comments(9)

Where do we go with Design in a post-COIN (for now) world?

Disruptive Thinkers: The Disruptive Poets Society

by Grant Martin

Journal Article | April 18, 2012 04:59 AM | Comments(15)

How The Dead Poets Society Advocated Disruptive Thinkers, Why DoD Shouldn't Encourage More Disruptive Thinkers, and 10 Principles for Those That do Think Disruptively

Creative Thinking: Linking Environment, Vision, Change, and Strategy

by Dan McCauley

Journal Article | March 29, 2012 04:59 AM | Comments(5)

Dan McCauley argues that the unimaginative 2012 Strategic Defense Guidance calls for some creative thinking.

Design Versus the Center of Gravity

by Dale C. Eikmeier

Journal Article | March 28, 2012 04:54 AM | Comments(1)

It isn't either - or. How the center of gravity fits into the design process.

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