AFCEA Technet Europe

Achieving true Network Enabled Capability – is the challenge technological or human?

Gordon McMillan

Istanbul27 May 2010

Were her challenges human or technological?

Network Enabled CapabilityAs clear as mud?

“NEC offers decisive advantage through the timely provision and exploitation of information and intelligence to enable effective decision making and agile actions. NEC will be implemented through the coherent and progressive development of defence equipment, software, processes, structures and individual and collective training, underpinned by the development of a secure, robust and extensive network of networks.” *

“NEC is about the coherent integration of sensors, decision-makers, weapon systems and support capabilities to achieve the desired effect” *

*Source: UK JSP 777 Edn 1

The three dimensions of NEC

The three dimensions of NEC

Do we have our priorities right?

Battlespace Information 2007 Conference, Brussels, March 2007

3 days

45 speakers/presentations, with…

…925 slides…

…but only 2 speakers focused on human factors.

19 other presenters mentioned ‘human factors’ on 45 slides

People – or ‘Human factors’

Selection

Education

Training

Language

Culture

Doctrine

Change

…

People – or ‘Human factors’

Common understanding

Trust

Confidence

Resourcefulness

…

People – or ‘Human factors’Language

“Secure the building”

ResourcefulnessPeople – or ‘Human factors’

Interoperability (non-technical)

Interrelationships

Interdependence

People – or ‘Human factors’Future warfare - its all about I3, not C4!

People – or ‘Human factors’Characteristics of successful NEC ‘operators’

An ability to

See the big picture

Multi-task

Deal with complexity, ambiguity and uncertainty

Assess and act on risks

Understand cultures

Conceptualize/synthesize

Build trust

A willingness to

Take the initiative

Learn

Empower others

Education and training People – or ‘Human factors’

Conclusion

My intention today was not to try to answer the question

directly, but to provide some food for thought…

Clearly the challenges are not only technological and human,

but include other factors…

However, it is my contention that not enough effort is being put

into ‘human factors’ - ours, or the enemies’…

…is the challenge technological or human?

Inmarsat’s role in NEC…

… is to provide meaningful voice and data communications to

disadvantaged platforms and remote and/or highly mobile

individuals outside the reach of terrestrial networks.