Military DecisionMaking Process

Definition/Scope: (ADP 5-0) The military decisionmaking process is an iterative planning methodology to understand the situation and mission, develop a course of action, and produce an operation plan or order. The MDMP combines the conceptual and detailed aspects of planning and integrates the activities of the commander, staff, subordinate headquarters, and other partners throughout the planning process. The MDMP helps leaders apply thoroughness, clarity, sound judgment, logic, and professional knowledge to understand situations, develop options to solve problems, and reach decisions. The MDMP results in an improved understanding of the situation and a plan or order that guides the force through preparation and execution. The MDMP facilitates collaborative and parallel planning as the higher headquarters solicits input and continually shares information concerning future operations with subordinate and adjacent units, supporting and supported units, and unified action partners through planning meetings, warning orders, and other means. Commanders encourage active collaboration among all organizations affected by the pending operations to build shared understanding, participate in course of action development and decisionmaking, and resolve conflicts before publication of the plan or order. (FM 5-0) The military decision making process (MDMP) is a planning model that establishes procedures for analyzing a mission, developing, analyzing, and comparing courses of action against criteria of success and each other, selecting the optimum course of action, and producing a plan or order. The MDMP applies across the spectrum of conflict and range of military operations. Commanders with an assigned staff use the MDMP to organize their planning activities, share a common understanding of the mission and commander?s intent, and develop effective plans and orders. The MDMP helps organize the thought process of commanders and staffs. It helps them apply thoroughness, clarity, sound judgment, logic, and professional knowledge to reach decisions. The MDMP can be as detailed as time, resources, experience, and situation permit. The MDMP is detailed, deliberate, sequential, and timeconsuming. All steps and sub-steps are used when enough planning time and staff support are available to thoroughly examine two or more friendly and enemy course of actions (COAs). This typically occurs when developing operation plans (OPLANs), when planning for an entirely new mission, or during training designed to teach the MDMP. NOTE: FM 5-0 has been superceded by ADP 5-0.

Used For:

MDMP
military decision making process
Mission command WFF

Acronym:

MDMP

Broader Terms:

Air Defense Airspace Management
Air Defense Airspace Management/Brigade Aviation Element
Army planning
battle command
Battle Command Sustainment Support System
Commander’s Intent
decision making
end state
planning

Narrower Terms:

collateral damage estimate
Commander's Critical Information Requirements
decisive point
detect, decide, deliver, assess
Fragmentary Order
Troop Leading Procedures

Related Terms:

C2
Chemical Hazard Response Information System
collaboration
decisionmaking
fog of war
For Your Situtional Awareness
leadership
non-lethal fires
request for forces