ATTP 5-0.1 Commander and Staff Officer Guide - Army Electronic ...

Chapter 7
Formal Assessment Plans
This chapter provides guidelines to assist commanders and their staffs in developing
formal assessment plans. It details each step.
ASSESSMENT PLAN DEVELOPMENT
7-1. Units with staffs develop formal assessment plans when appropriate. A critical element of the
commander’s planning guidance is determining which formal assessment plans to develop. An assessment
plan focused on the end state often works well. It is also possible, and may be desirable, to develop an
entire formal assessment plan for an intermediate objective, a named operation subordinate to the base
operation plan, or a named operation focused solely on a single line of operations or geographic area. The
time, resources, and added complexity involved in generating a formal assessment plan strictly limit the
number of such efforts.
7-2. In units with an assessment cell, both the assessment cell and the appropriate staff principal present
their findings to the commander. The assessment cell presents the assessment framework with current
values and discusses key trends observed. This cell presents any relevant insights from the statistical
analysis of the information. Then the staff principal either agrees or disagrees with the values provided in
the formal model and discusses relevant insights and factors not considered or not explicit in the model.
The staff principal then provides meaningful, actionable recommendations based on the assessment.
ASSESSMENT STEPS
7-3. Commanders and staffs develop assessment plans during planning using six steps:
� Step 1 – Gather tools and assessment data.
� Step 2 – Understand current and desired conditions.
� Step 3 – Develop assessment measures and potential indicators.
� Step 4 – Develop the collection plan.
� Step 5 – Assign responsibilities for conducting analysis and generating recommendations.
� Step 6 – Identify feedback mechanisms.
Once commanders and their staffs develop the assessment plan, they apply the assessment process of
monitor, evaluate, and recommend or direct continuously throughout preparation and execution.
STEP 1 – GATHER TOOLS AND ASSESSMENT DATA
7-4. Planning begins with receipt of mission. The receipt of mission alerts the staffs to begin updating
their running estimates and gather the tools necessary for mission analysis and continued planning. Specific
tools and information gathered regarding assessment include, but are not limited to—
� The higher headquarters’ plan or order, including the assessment annex if available.
� If replacing a unit, any current assessments and assessment products.
� Relevant assessment products (classified or open-source) produced by civilian and military
organizations.
� The identification of potential data sources, including academic institutions and civilian subject
matter experts.
14 September 2011 ATTP 5-0.1 7-1