KBSI, in a contract funded by the Office of Naval Research, is investigating methods and technologies for influencing positive behaviors and discouraging negative behaviors in enemy networks. The objective of this initiative is to research, design and demonstrate a system that is capable of applying utility theoretic models in creating a hidden enemy network influence operations contour map (HEN-IO-MAP). The technology will provide a visualization of the network identity space in the form of an influence operations contour map, allowing decision-makers to select the operations that encourage positive behavior and discourage negative behavior. In addition, HEN-IO-MAP will simplify the knowledge acquisition process in building decision models for hidden enemy network influence and will minimize the amount of technical knowledge required by non-technical subject-matter experts (SME) to build social and cultural models for influence operation (IO) selection and assessment.
The HEN-IO-MAP model and visualization tool will assist IO planners in the evaluation and formulation of influence operations. The HEN-IO-MAP models will incorporate cultural, social and other factors using a simple knowledge acquisition process that does not require advanced analytic skills. The HEN-IO-MAP visualization tool will display the possible IO outcomes in a format that enables the easy identification of the actions that more readily lead to achieving IO campaign objectives. The application of HEN-IO-MAP to IO planning will allow planners to select actions that will encourage positive and discourage negative behavior.
The HEN-IO-MAP initiative addresses the following objectives:
apply “imprecisely-specified multi-attribute utility theory” to the modeling of social and cultural factors;
develop a knowledge acquisition process suitable for non-technical SMEs; and
develop a visual representation of the IO outcome space.
