ATP-5-0-2-1 Staff Reference Guide Volume 1 Download
Page 27 of 440
Planning 07 December 2020 ATP 5-0.2-1 11 Figure 2-1. Army design methodology STEP 1. CURRENT STATE 2-13. To use an operational approach in solving problems, commanders and planning teams seek to understand those conditions that make up the current state of an operational environment. A condition is the state of an essential factor in an operational environment. An example is a three-year drought in an area. Insurgent control of a certain province is another example. Not only do planning teams identify current conditions, they understand how those conditions came to be from a historical and cultural perspective. Teams identify and discern the relationships among relevant variables and actors in an operational environment. 2-14. An actor is an individual or group who acts to advance personal interests. Relevant actors may include states and governments, multinational actors such as coalitions, and regional groupings, alliances, terrorist networks, criminal organizations, military units, and cartels. Actors may also include multinational corporations, nongovernmental organizations, and other entities capable of influencing the situation either through, or in spite of, the appropriate civil, religious, or military authority. 2-15. Tendencies are models describing the thoughts or behaviors of certain actors. Tendencies identify the likely pattern of relationships between the actors, without external influences. Once identified, commanders and staffs evaluate the potential of these tendencies to manifest within an operational environment. Potential is the inherent ability or capacity for the growth or development of a specific interaction or relationship. 2-16. Often, learning the nature of a situation helps in understanding groupings, relationships, or interactions among relevant actors and operational variables. This learning typically involves analysis of