Rapid Ethnographic Assessment Program

As the Department of Defense continues to emphasize the importance of more effective stabilization and reconstruction operations (SARO), the need is clear for decision support tools that can help troops working day-to-day in different cultures. The objective of this Phase II SBIR is to provide COCOMs, Civil Affairs, and other teams with additional insight into the potential cultural impact of different military missions. The ethnographic data collection framework will be tailored and mapped from multiple sources using traditional web-based links as well as state-of-the-art mashups to produce resiliency assessments. Innovative algorithms will be developed to provide military planners additional insight into potential cultural risks and synergies associated with SARO missions. The resulting Rapid Resiliency Assessment Profile capability will enable comparing options to minimize mission risk and maximize synergy by identifying soft power solutions. The data fusion framework will be built on an infrastructure initiated by investments from the Missile Defense and Navy offices to provide a robust decision trade-space during acquisition decisions. The Phase II program will result in a prototype tool that will be used to validate the resilience assessment linkage to fault lines and mission risk profiles. Feedback from beta-site users will be used to confirm transition path.