Operational Intelligence and Operational Design: Thinking About Operational Art

Uncertainty is an inescapable part of war that stems, in part, from war's wicked problems and the complex, adaptive systems that produce them. While uncertainty in war is chronic, both operational intelligence and Operational Design endeavor to mitigate it on behalf of the commander. Operational intelligence strives to make sense of past and current circumstances to inform future action; Operational Design endeavors to shape the future based on what is learned from the past and known or suspected about the present. Operational intelligence collects and analyzes information to build understanding of a complex situation; Operational Design translates understanding into an approach for achieving operational aims and strategic outcomes. Without uncertainty in war, there would be no need for operational intelligence or Operational Design; because of uncertainty, they become two sides of the same coin.