Joint Force Quarterly
Abstract
The Department of Defense is investing in advanced technologies to maintain a competitive military advantage, but realizing their full value requires a data-first approach to operational planning. Jeremiah Hurley and Morgan Greene argue that DOD must improve how it collects, organizes, integrates, and uses data so commanders and staffs can understand the operational environment and develop and execute courses of action faster than adversaries. The article critiques current planning processes that rely on static products such as PowerPoint slides, spreadsheets, and email, and recommends incorporating standardized data collection templates, plans, matrices, automated data pipelines, and dynamic visualizations into joint and Service planning doctrine. These tools can help identify information gaps, improve situational awareness, accelerate decisionmaking, and support more effective use of automation and artificial intelligence. The authors also address challenges involving data validation, access, sharing, and security. Drawing on historical examples of technological and doctrinal integration during the Cold War, they argue that embedding data-driven practices into operational planning can improve the timeliness, accuracy, and adaptability of military decisionmaking and help sustain U.S. military advantage.
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