Capability Gap Assessment - Blending Warfighter Experience with Science

Abstract : As funding constraints loom, decision makers ask: What is good enough This presentation proposes a gap assessment method that addresses that question. This method blends warfighter expertise with quantifiable analysis through a scientific approach. Warfighters identify the impact to mission for the measureable attributes of each capability gap. A mathematical approach is then applied to combine all warfighter responses into a single mission impact scale for each capability gap. When paired with performance and operational effectiveness data, the mission impact scales enable the analyst to quantifiably assess gap mitigation of alternatives against the base case. Also, analysts can then answer three important questions: (1) How much capability is good enough? (2) Is the gap mitigated? (3) If so, by how much? This technical report describes the gap assessment method and the results of using it.