Mobile apps for the enterprise can offer significant value
on their own, but when integrated together into a network (network centric
operations) with many other applications, the IoT (internet of things) and
other data collection technologies, this network of applications can
offer exponentially greater visibility and value to an organization. The challenge is to understand how to use
this plethora of data for the purpose of good operational decision-making. Modern military strategies offer some useful insights for us.
USAF Colonel John
Boyd is credited with the concept of the
OODA loop.
The OODA loop (Observe, Orient, Decide and
Act) is a concept originally applied to combat operation processes. Today it is
also applied to commercial operations and learning processes where significant
value has been realized.
According to Boyd,
decision making occurs in a recurring cycle of
observe=>orient=>decide=>act.
An entity (whether an individual or an organization) that can process this
decision making cycle quickly, observing and reacting to unfolding events more
rapidly than an opponent, can thereby "get inside" a competitor's
decision cycle and gain the advantage.
In the business world, OODA loop is an emerging concept for
making decisions and managing fast changing field services, projects and mobile
operations. Today the ability to observe events from afar benefits from mobile technologies and connected devices such as:
- Wireless
networks
- IoT
- Mobile data
collection solutions (mobile inspection forms, barcode scanners, RFID, GPS,
etc.)
- Mobile field
services applications
- Mobile
business intelligence applications
- Enterprise
asset management solutions
- Plant
maintenance systems
- Mobile CRM
- GPS location
tracking technologies
- etc.
Mobile data collection and the IoT supply the data
that enables a field services or plant manager to observe from afar.
The next step in the OODA loop is
orientation. The manager needs to be
oriented as to what the data means, and how it impacts the mission.
Decide - now that you have the necessary data
and you understand what it means, you must make a good data-driven-decision.
Act - take action without delay based upon all the data you have received, its business meaning and the decision you have made.
The “loop” refers to the fact that this is a continuous process. The loop or cycle never stops. Each time you complete a cycle in the OODA
loop you observe, orient, decide and act again based upon the results you see
from the prior cycle. If the results are
positive, you can continue down that path and improve it. If the results are negative, you quickly
adjust and review the results again. It
is a fast moving process of trial, error and adjustment until you get the
results you want. Not dissimilar to the agile programming methodology.
The OODA loop is particularly useful in environments that
are chaotic and unpredictable. In these
working environments, decision making is often very difficult and without appropriate training paralysis in decision-making results and nothing gets done. The OODA loop is a decision making process
that is well suited for helping people make decisions and acting in situations
where there is no existing road map to follow.
The military has effectively utilized the OODA loop decision
making processes in the chaos of battle found in air combat, tank warfare and
daily in Special Forces operations.
There is a lot to be learned from these experiences in decision-making.
In a world where nearly 40 percent of the workforce is
mobile, companies must learn and implement these concepts in order to
successfully manage mobile operations and services from afar. To be successful implementing and integrating
the OODA loop and Network Centric Operational concepts into your field services
operations requires the following:
- Data
collection systems and processes.
- Real time
knowledge of the location of your mobile workforce, assets and inventories.
- Real time
knowledge of the capabilities and expertise of your mobile workforce.
- Real time
status and progress updates of the tasks, work assignments and schedules of the
mobile workforce.
- Real time
knowledge of the location of all inventory, equipment, tools and other assets
required to complete specific tasks.
- Work order
management system that assigns, schedules and dispatches specific assignments
to specific members of your mobile workforce.
- Business
intelligence software applications for analyzing data collected in the field.
All of the items listed above help provide the real time
visibility into your field operations that is required in a Networked Field
Services organization practicing OODA loop management decision making.
One of the remaining challenges, however, with the systems
listed above is that humans quickly become overwhelmed by large volumes of
data. Complexity can become an inhibitor
to the practice of OODA. It is not
enough to have real time visibility into massive volumes of data, as one must be
able to orient and understand what the data means and how it will impact the
mission. Business intelligence software, context aware and artificial intelligence capabilities all fit in here.
*************************************************************
Kevin Benedict,
Head Analyst for Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud (SMAC)
Cognizant
View Linkedin Profile
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict
***Full Disclosure: These are my personal opinions. No company is silly enough to claim them. I am a mobility and SMAC analyst, consultant and writer. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
