Human Factors Master Class
14th April 14:30 – 17:00

Truth, Perception & Consequences:  Cultural & Cognitive Systems

Workshop Leader:
Christine MacNulty,
President and CEO,
APPLIED FUTURES

Rationale:
Future warfare is likely to include more action against terrorist groups and insurgents, more stability operations, and more operations in urban areas where our Armed Forces will have to deal with civilians as well as their targets. Even if the US acquires a peer competitor, our knowledge of its culture is likely to be less comprehensive than we would like. This means that we need to think very carefully about the effects and results we want to achieve, we need to ensure that the intelligence gathered by whatever “_INT” seems appropriate, is what we need.

Benefits:
This workshop/presentation emphasizes the importance of understanding both cultures and mind-sets. It is needed for our decision makers and planners. We must know what we are trying to achieve and whether or not what we want to achieve is feasible.   This requires more than a knowledge of what our adversary is doing, where, with whom and how.  It requires an understanding of WHY—what are his motivations?—because only then can we anticipate his reactions and what he will do next. Then we need to be able to craft strategies that will work in the particular culture and circumstances. 

Christine MacNulty was one of our most well received speakers at Battlespace Information 2007, and has more than thirty-five years experience as a consultant in long-term strategic planning for concepts as well as organizations, technology forecasting, technology assessment and related areas, as well as cultural change.

For the last twelve years, she has worked mainly for the US Department of Defense. She has also worked for NATO ACT and NATO NEC. She was a major participant in the NDIA Single Integrated Picture (SIP) Study, where she coordinated the various focus groups’ activities, and worked on the human element in SIP.