Information Operations Decision-Aid (IODA) for Data-sparse Environments

"We propose a Phase II program to develop and demonstrate an Information Operations Decision Aiding (IODA) prototype, for PSYOP/IO analysts operating in data-sparse SASO environments. IODA accomplishes this by leveraging cultural knowledge when little isknown about the individual decision maker. The approach: 1) identifies any known target information, with a focus on group affiliations; 2) fills in a detailed group profile for each group; 3) infers individual target profile values from groupcharacteristics; and 4) infers situation-specific target vulnerabilities from the target profile. The Phase I IODA design effort: 1) identified PSYOP decision-aiding requirements; 2) specified necessary data sources; 3) identified existing PSYOP profilingand vulnerability assessment methods; 4) identified appropriate AI techniques for implementing and visualizing these methods; and 5) established overall concept feasibility. Under Phase II we will develop a full-scope IODA decision-aiding prototype, anddemonstrate its capability across multiple SASO PSYOP mission types. Key objectives include: 1) expanding the mission types; 2) reviewing the literature and eliciting knowledge to identify additional PSYOP/IO requirements and approaches; 3) implementingmethods for uncertainty management and conflict resolution; 4) defining an expanded architecture; 5) prototyping the architecture/components; and 6) demonstrating and validating the IODA prototype wi