CIMIC A&A TNA Workshop
From requirements to solutions
On the 10th and 11th of May, the CCOE hosted an operational level Training Needs Analysis (TNA) Workshop in The Hague, welcoming participants from twelve organisations working on Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) and Civil-Military Interaction (CMI).
The workshop investigated how a future CIMIC Analysis & Assessment (A&A) training solution would best contribute to the new capability to arrive at the portfolio of NATO CIMIC. Participants established Performance Statements that will guide future training in achieving its objectives. By contributing to a common understanding of training needs and establishing a shared vocabulary among NATO and national stakeholders, the civil and military participants of the workshop prepared the way for designing training solutions in response to the requirements.
The discussion circulated around CCOE’s Draft CIMIC A&A Concept describes how a networked CIMIC branch aims to provide commanders and their staff with the required understanding of the Civil Environment in support of their decision making. This concept is unique in NATO CIMIC since no similar guidance exists which would describe the process and aim of CIMIC A&A. The workshop was responsible for developing Performance Objectives based on Performance Statements covering the needs of future training. These statements concerned the tasks and elements of a CIMIC A&A Workflow, including the holistic tasks of collecting, analysing and assessing civil information.
The Draft Concept calls for shared and collaborative analysis between NATO and non-military actors. This approach is expected to increase data, information and product sharing between military and civilian actors, enhancing common understanding between them and reinforcing their mutual interests. The workshop also clarified aspects of these interactions, simplifying language and processes in order to welcome civilian actors in the framework.
This workshop, thus, contributed to the development of future NATO CIMIC A&A training solutions that will aid decision-makers’ requirements to better deal with the challenges arriving from the civil environment.
Thanks to the participating organisations, the CCOE is now capable of finalising the concept and designing a pilot training based on the advice of the workshop. A final concept is expected to arrive by the end of June, while a pilot course is planned to be launched in early autumn 2022.
By Ralf Baur
