MARION

Mission Analysis and Risk Impact on Operations Network-tool

MARION is a highly graphical, interactive software tool that supports the development of test plans that are based on the evaluation of a system's contribution to overall mission success. Originally developed on a TEREC research program for AFOTEC, the tool provides varying level of support for each of the six (iterative) steps in the Mission Level Evaluation process. The steps of the MLE process are briefly described below, along with an indication of MARION's support of that step. When applicable, images of the MARION screens supporting the step are available as links.

• Understand the System Under Test
  An understanding of the system and its intended application is a crucial first step in a Mission Level Evaluation. This understanding is obtained from a consideration of the system description and requirements and often requires subject matter expert (SME) reviews and insight. The MARION tool provides a basic level of support for this step through electronic links to web sites and other documents. Critical issues and pertinant requirements can be documented in MARION for later reference.
• Understand Battlefield Operations
  To achieve this understanding, the methodology involves a decomposition of an operational task or mission into the tasks needed to achieve the mission. MARION fully supports this step by allowing users to graphically decompose an operational task into its child elements. Also provides users with the ability to note questions, measures, and other attributes related to each element.
• Perform Impact/Risk Analysis
  The decomposition of the prior step is analyzed to determine the contribution of each element to mission accomplishment and the interactions/relationships between elements, and between the SUT and the elements. This step is fully supported by MARION, allowing users to describe the impact of elements on the mission, of elements on other elements, and between the system and elements. Impacts can be rated according to importance, and this rating is visually shown through the use of color codings.
• Determine T&E Focus
  From the understanding developed in each of the earlier steps, evaluation areas and evaluation objectives are determined based on a Cause and Effect Analysis. MARION supports this step through a graphical cause/effect analyses and allowing the specification of evaluation objectives based on this analysis.
• Develop Test Strategy Options
  Potential test strategies are identified by considering the evaluation objectives in relation to the necessary test resources and their associated costs. MARION provides support in developing test strategies through visual overlays of such information as the potential coverage provided by a specific test resource.
• Select Test Strategy
  Test strategies are compared based on their funding, schedule, and resource availability as well as by their success in achieving evaluation objectives. From this comparison, a test strategy is selected as the T&E approach for the test program. MARION support this step by allowing multiple test strategies to be developed and stored, and then compared side-by-side in terms of their coverage of evaluation objectives, their cost, and other attributes. MARION allows the test strategies to be ranked and a single test strategy can be identified as being "selected." MARION's storage of multiple test strategies allows them to be readdressed in the event of a scope or budget change.

Last Updated December 3, 2007

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