The modern operational environment is defined by unprecedented complexity and information overload—a phenomenon the National Defense University (NDU) identifies as the “Data Deluge.” In this environment, the sheer volume, velocity, and variety (the “3 Vs”) of available data no longer guarantee success; they often threaten to paralyze decision-making, creating “information friction.”
The strategic challenge for any modern military force is moving past simply collecting information via traditional Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR). The new goal is to achieve decisive Information Advantage within the contested cognitive and physical spaces. This advantage is critical because information itself is now viewed as the primary resource that links the operational environment, the commander’s intent, and the means to act.
Comprehensive Information Management (CIM): A Strategic Imperative
To overcome the Data Deluge, military and national security organizations require Comprehensive Information Management (CIM). CIM is an integrated, holistic approach that treats information not as a byproduct of operations, but as a strategic asset to be managed across the full spectrum of conflict.
The CIM concept demands doctrinal and organizational changes to ensure all information-related capabilities (IRCs)—from intelligence collection to psychological operations—are integrated and coordinated. This systematic approach is necessary because the battlefield extends beyond physical space into the “Infosphere,” where facts compete with deliberate disinformation, requiring focused effort to manage and counter narratives.
The Three Pillars of Information Advantage
According to the strategic framework outlined in the NDU analysis, CIM is executed through three interconnected, synergistic domains that must be seamlessly linked to ensure information superiority:
1. Understanding
This pillar is about building a complete, accurate, and timely picture of the operational environment. It relies on fusing all-source intelligence, open-source data, and Big Data analytics. The goal is to rapidly recognize patterns and anticipate future adversary actions, moving beyond a simple “what happened” to a clear “what happens next.” This understanding must cover the adversary’s physical capabilities as well as their motivations and vulnerabilities within the Infosphere.
2. Influence
Once the environment is understood, forces must be able to shape behavior and perceptions across the full spectrum of audiences—adversary, neutral, and friendly. The Influence function integrates several disciplines:
- Public Affairs (PA): Ensuring factual communication to domestic and international audiences.
- Psychological Operations (PSYOP): Targeting adversary and neutral audiences to affect their behavior.
- Military Deception (MILDEC): Misleading the adversary about capabilities or intent.
These capabilities must be coordinated to ensure they support a unified strategic narrative and avoid internal conflict.
3. Act (Using Effects)
The ultimate goal of CIM is to enable effective action. This pillar focuses on applying conventional, cyber, and non-conventional capabilities based on the Information Advantage gained. The action must be informed by the comprehensive understanding achieved in the first pillar and synchronized with the influence activities in the second.
The most successful military operations leverage information superiority to apply effects at the most vulnerable points of the adversary’s decision-making cycle, creating a decisive competitive advantage.
Beyond The Bricks: Strategic Implications
The key takeaway for any strategic planner is that Information Superiority is the new military competitive advantage. This demands profound shifts in how institutions are organized and how doctrine is written:
- Organizational Integration: Silos between intelligence, operations, and information warfare must be dismantled.
- Cognitive Warfare: Information Advantage must be actively maintained in the cognitive domain, recognizing that perception often matters as much as physical reality.
- Talent Development: The military must prioritize and train personnel proficient in data science, advanced analytics, and narrative strategy to effectively command and manage information as a strategic resource.
The ability to master CIM and overcome information friction will determine who wins in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.
Strategy is useless without execution. To see how these high-level information concepts apply to the friction of command, read The Data Deluge: Command in the Age of Information Fratricide
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