1. COI Basics DoD Net-Centric Data Strategy (DS) and
Community of Interest (COI) Training
COI Basics
Version 1.0

2. Purpose / Outline
Summarize basic information on Communities of Interest to include:
A COI definition
COI’s relationship to the Enterprise
What COIs do
OSD facilitated COIs (purpose, metrics, lessons)
Suggested steps to establish a COI
Characteristics of successful COIs
COI Strategic Rhythm
Summary

3. What is a COI?
“COIs … come together to address a specific information sharing mission or challenge that the COI can solve by exposing and sharing data.”—DoD G, April 12, 2006
Cross-Component
Cross-Service
Cross-Agency
Multi-National
CNSSI – Committee on National Security Systems Instruction No. 4009: National Information Assurance (IA) Glossary, 26 Apr 2010
“A collaborative group of users who exchange information in pursuit of their shared goals, interests, missions, or business processes, and who therefore must have a shared vocabulary for the information they exchange. The group exchanges information within and between systems to include security domains.”
“A collaborative group of users who exchange information in pursuit of their shared goals, interests, missions, or business processes, and who therefore must have shared vocabulary for the information they exchange.”—CNSSI 4009, 26 Apr 2010

4. COIs Solve Information Sharing Problems by Making Data & Services …
Connected to the network with tools to use & provide assured access
Discoverable by most users
Visible
Accessible
Net-Centric Information
Sharing
Trusted
Governable
Source authority (pedigree, security level, access control) known and available
Governed with sustained leadership; Institutionalize data approaches
Understandable
Syntax (structure) and Semantics (meaning) are well documented

5. The COI’s Relationship to the Enterprise
Components use existing processes to plan, budget & manage resources
Information Sharing Capabilities
data
service
service
data
Mission Area Leads look across Component plans & budgets in mission area to identify best value for the Enterprise
JCIDS
Acquisition
PPBE
Recommendations on implementation of COI agreements
Mission Areas are cross-DoD Component portfolios of related investments
DOD Components
Business Mission Area
Warfighting Mission Area
Intelligence Mission Area (DoD portion)
COI
COI
COI
COI
COI
COIs provide recommendations for information sharing capabilities to DoD Components and
Mission Area Leads
Enterprise Information Environment Mission Area
PPBE: Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution
JCIDS: Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System

6. DoD Instruction 5000.02 Calls for Pilots
DoDI , Operation of the Defense Acquisition System, states:
5.d.(4)(b)2.a. …Risk reduction prototypes will be included …
5.d.(4)(c) … Multiple technology development demonstrations may be necessary …
DoDI is the “Acquisition Bible”.
DoDI Interim, 25 Nov 2013, Para 5.d.(4)(b)2.a.: “Risk reduction prototypes will be included if they will materially reduce engineering and manufacturing development risk at an acceptable cost.”
DoDI Interim, 25 Nov 2013, Para 5.d.(4)(c): “Multiple technology development demonstrations, defined in the acquisition strategy, may be necessary before the operational user and material developer can substantiate that a preferred solution is feasible, affordable, and supportable; satisfies validated capability requirements; and has acceptable technical risk.”
Post Milestone-B programs (Development & Demonstation Phase) can (and should) spend current-year funds on pilot demonstrations to define the next increment!

7. More on Funding…
COIs succeed through active engagement and commitment of members and leadership to solve a specific information sharing problem
COIs don’t directly control resources but COI members and leadership do
COI Authority comes from its membership and leadership
Data producers (i.e., programs) should pay to expose their data on the DoD Information Network (DoDIN)
The only “COI funding” is administrative overhead
KEY POINT !

8. COIs Support Portfolio Management
QDR 2006 moved DoD toward the use of “joint capability portfolios” to change how the department does business
DoD Deputy’s Advisory Working Group (DAWG)
A body of the Department’s senior civilian and military leaders co-chaired by the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) and the Deputy Secretary of Defense (DSD)
Established four pilot portfolios to evolve the Department’s business practices and methodologies
COIs and COI pilots address information sharing problems and
Continuously refine the Department’s business processes
Inform acquisition programs to make them more effective
Four pilot portfolios are:
Joint Command and Control
Joint Network-Centric Operations
Joint Logistics
Battlespace Awareness
“The goal is better effectiveness and, through it, better efficiency – we have to do the right things, and we have to do them right.  I can tell you that our work is still not finished.  The DAWG is continuing to debate and refine our approach.” - Gordon England, DSD

9. What do COIs do?
Solve mission-specific information sharing problems affecting their communities
Increase information sharing volume, speed, and reach to known and unanticipated users
Provide a user forum to drive the Net-Centric approach forward
Provide information exchange vocabulary stewardship
Foster collaboration within and across communities
Build trust
Identify and help resolve enterprise issues
KEY POINT !

10. The COI Process Identify information sharing problem
Join existing COI or form new COI
Identify and prioritize capabilities
Address information sharing problem increment (see next chart)
Obtain user feedback
Make recommendations to DoD Components and Mission Area Leads
Disband when appropriate
< 3 mo.
9-12 mo.

11. To Address an Info Sharing Increment…
Determine capability needed
Develop information exchange vocabulary
Vocabulary = Agreements on terms and definitions common to the COI, including data dictionaries (DoD G)
Syntax = data structure
Semantics = data meaning
Implement the software services
Service = a mechanism to enable access to one or more capabilities, where the access is provided using a prescribed interface and is exercised consistent with constraints and policies as specified by the service description. (DoD Net-Centric Services Strategy, May 2007)
Reuse and refine for next increment
Capability
Needed
Service
Data
Vocabulary &
Implementations
Drives
Info
Sharing
Need

12. COI Activities Showing Promise…
C2 Space Situational Awareness (SSA) — Enable operational and tactical command and control with information on status of space-related systems (red, blue, gray)
Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) (includes Federal partners) — Enable improved homeland security through maritime situational awareness
Strike (includes coalition partners) — Enable accelerated strike planning by providing situational awareness information (blue, red, gray force) from now to 12 hours
Significant Activities (SIGACT) Reporting (includes Intelligence Community) — Enable improved information sharing and agility to counter IED threat.
IED = Improvised Explosive Device
…But More Successes are Needed to Motivate Delivery of Mission Capabilities through Improved Information Sharing

13. A Sampling of COI Metrics
C2 SSA
MDA
Strike
SIGACT
Started
Spring 2005
Feb 2006
June 2006
July 2007
Led By
AFSPC/A5
Coast Guard
Navy
USSTRATCOM JFCC GSI/CDR
OPNAV N6
Primary Organizations
AFSPC, Army, USSTRATCOM
Navy, Coast Guard, IC, DoT
USSTRATCOM, USA, USN, USAF, USMC, Allies
CENTCOM, JIEDDO, DIA, Services, DoJ, DHS, JFCOM
Vocab – Size for 1st pilot
20 elements
56 attributes
10 elements
40 attributes
3 elements
31 attributes
Not Applicable
Vocab - # implementations 6 4 3
Time to 1st pilot
12 months
8 months
16 months
Biggest Benefit
Many firsts built upon by subsequent COIs
Exemplar for SOA imple-mentation
Lead to improved
DoD & IC
collaboration
AFSPC = Air Force Space Command
JIEDDO = Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (US DoD)
JFCC GSI = Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike and Integration
USSTRATCOM = United States Strategic Command
C2 SSA implementations: Pilot DSCS Thread, Pilot NavAcc thread, SISP, ESSA ACTD, GPS (believe GPSIS), Space Intel Prep of the Battlefield (SIPB)
Sample MDA elements/attributes: elements (e.g., vessel, conveyance, time, location) and attributes (e.g., vessel name, call sign, vessel id number)
SIGACT: Lead is VADM Edwards, OPNAV N6; POC is CAPT(s) Stu Wharton

14. Key COI Lessons To Date Cultural change is hard, technology is easy
Willingness to share; TRUST
Cross-organization participation is essential
Strike COI: UK/Coalition involvement has enhanced community
MDA COI: Active collaboration among DoD, DHS, IC, and DoT
Pilots are an effective means to reduce risk
Clearly define scope, expectations, and resource commitments up front; Document information sharing agreements early
Must engage Resource Sponsors for year of execution funds
Scoping is vital
Clearly defined so COI members have clarity of mission and unity of effort; Tackle in achievable increments
Incentivizing net-centric information sharing delivery is needed
Consider entire enterprise including unanticipated users
DHS= Department of Homeland Security
DoD = Department of Defense
DoT = Department of Transportation
IC = Intelligence Community
COIs expose net-centric information sharing barriers so they may be taken on as something to be changed

15. Cultures coming together
Key Challenges
Identifying a technical solution is not the biggest challenge…
Trust
Cultures coming together
Optimize for enterprise, not organization
No winners and losers

16. 1. Identify Information Sharing Problem
Establishing a COI
Approx. 3 months
Join existing
COI?
1. Identify Information Sharing Problem
2. Identify
Related
COIs
3. Form COI
Define COI Scope
Establish
Governance no
yes
Advertise COI
Kickoff COI
Solved
Info
Sharing
Problem?
Identify
Membership
Join COI D I S B A N
Update
Provide
Feedback to
Programs
6. Obtain
User Feedback
Make recommendations
to Mission Area Leads & DoD Components
Engage PoRs &
Resource
Managers
Form Pilot WG
(If appropriate)
5. Address Info
Sharing Problem
Increment
Develop Vocab
Define
Measures
Of Success
4. Identify and Prioritize Capabilities
Develop
Roadmap
yes no
7. Assess
COI
Approx months

17. Establishing a COI Identify information sharing problem
Determine information sharing need that can be solved by exposing or sharing data
Sample Problem Statement: Unable to get timely space situational awareness data to support command and control
2. Identify related COIs
Consult DoD COI Directory to find other related COIs (
Determine whether an existing COI can be used or new one needs to be established
Coordinate with related COIs to share experiences

18. 3. Form a COI Define COI scope (preferably in a single sentence)
Advertise COI
Register the COI in the DoD COI Directory
Ensure that DoD users can discover its existence and mission
Allow the opportunity to participate
Go to
Identify membership (next chart)
Establish governance (detail follows)
Establish a charter, if needed
Kickoff COI

19. COI Membership
COIs should be joint across DoD Components (Military Services, Agencies and Combatant Commands)
Could include non-DoD government agencies, coalition partners, and commercial partners
COI membership includes:
Decision Makers
Planners
Operators and Users
Program Managers
Engineers and Developers
Subject Matter Experts
Initial membership will coalesce around a common mission and information sharing problem
Members / Stakeholders are those who stand to benefit and those whose processes and/or systems will change as a result of COI activities
COI participants’ involvement may change throughout the COI lifecycle

20. Sample COI Governance Structure
Tailor to the needs of a specific COI
Mission Area & Domain Portfolio Managers
Executive Board
(FO/GO) Chair or Co-Chair
Promote & review COI activities
Resolve cross-COI discrepancies
2 or 3 star level
May be collapsed
1 star level Chair with 0-6/GS-15 membership
Steering Committee Forum (Chair or Co-Chair)
Ensure appropriate participation
Act as primary COI POC
Track milestones & success criteria
Joint Implementation
Working Group
(Appropriate
Lead/Co-Lead)
Data Management
Working Group
(Appropriate
Lead/Co-Lead)
Pilot Demonstration Working Group
(Appropriate
Lead/Co-Lead)
WGs
Additional Working Groups
as needed
Note:
When a COI first stands up, the order of COI Working Group creation is likely to be 1) Pilot WG, 2) DMWG, and 3) Joint Implementation WG
Relationship between working groups will evolve as the COI evolves
Define & implement high level COI capability roadmap and schedule milestones
Stand up Pilot WG as needed
Synchronize COI products with existing processes (e.g., JCIDS, Acquisition, PPBE)
Develop shared vocabulary for a given problem area in accordance with the DoD Net-Centric Data Strategy
Develop repeatable process to demonstrate COI products (e.g, COI vocabulary)
Leverage core enterprise services
Execute as risk reduction for next Pgm of Record (PoR) spiral
Roles and Responsibilities Details

21. 4. Identify and Prioritize Capabilities
Develop COI Roadmap
Identify, prioritize, and select key COI capabilities and data assets to expose to the Enterprise
Document this high level COI capability roadmap including schedule milestones
Define measures of success
Define and coordinate COI-specific success criteria and measure progress against those criteria
Some criteria will be mission specific, e.g.,
Reduce the time required to plan strikes as a result of having information available
Other success criteria might be non-mission specific, e.g.,
Time saved in fielding new capabilities as a result of reusing existing information sources rather than re-creating information
Number of systems using common COI vocabulary
Reduction in the number of point-to-point interfaces
Number of relevant stakeholders actively participating in the COI
Measure progress against these success criteria

22. 5. Address Info Sharing Problem Increment
Select highest priority information sharing need from the roadmap
Develop vocabulary for this increment (see COI Vocabulary briefing)
Engage Programs or Record (PoRs) and Resource Managers
Engage relevant PoRs to resolve information sharing increment
Engage Resource Sponsors (often on the COI Executive Board) since you’ll want to resource the COI in the year of execution
Form Pilot Working Group if appropriate
Use pilots for PoR risk reduction (see Pilot Development and Deployment briefing)
KEY POINT !

23. Provide feedback to relevant programs
6. Obtain User Feedback
Gather user feedback to assess if information sharing capability meets users’ needs
Make recommendations on information sharing capabilities to Mission Area Leads and DoD Components
Synchronize COI products with existing processes, e.g.,
JCIDS: Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System
Acquisition
PPBE: Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution
Provide feedback to relevant programs

24. 7. Assess COI Assess COI against measures of success
Update roadmap and address next information sharing increment
Use metric results to determine when the COI has achieved its goal and should disband and turn over operations to continuing organizations

25. Characteristics of Successful COIs
Well-Defined Purpose
Clear, well-defined purpose addressing specific problems that are relevant to all members
Clear Vision
Clear roadmap of capabilities to be delivered
Priorities based on well-defined selection criteria
Relevant Programs of Record engaged
Clear transition strategy for pilot capabilities
Active Engagement
Engaged leadership that can effectively facilitate cross-component, inter-agency collaboration
Active engagement by the right mix of stakeholders (e.g., those with authority and with the right domain and technical knowledge)
Appropriate cross-Component, inter-agency membership
A community of action within the COI who “makes things happen”
KEY POINT !

26. Characteristics of Successful COIs (concluded)
Enterprise (DoD and beyond) Orientation
Stakeholders willing to compromise (e.g., accept a shared solution if it meets the majority of their needs)
Consideration of entire enterprise including unanticipated users
Capability Based Perspective
Suitable Pilot
Targets real operational need
Implementable in 9-12 months
Does not overly burden stakeholders
KEY POINT !
Capability
Needed
Service
Data
Vocabulary &
Implementations
Drives
Info
Sharing
Need

27. Risk Reduction; Transition
COI Strategic Rhythm
Community of Interest (COI)
Develop
Program of
Record
(POR)
Information
Sharing Need
Risk Reduction; Transition
Capabilities
Register
Services
Evolve Vocab
ID Risks
Transition Vocab
Develop
Service
Registry
Transition Vocab
Data
Management
Working
Group
Pilot
Working
Group
(optional)
Capability
Delivery
Develop
Evolve Vocab
Vocabularies
Register
Each COI is unique. After addressing an information sharing problem increment a COI may:
Disband
Address the next Roadmap increment
Metadata
Registry

28. COI Strategic Rhythm – The Big Picture
COI B
COI C
Capability Delivery
Capability Delivery
DoD
Information
Network
COI A
Kickoff
Analagous to the World Wide Web
Exponential growth in capability (a “network effect”) is possible
Metcalf’s Law: The usefulness of a network equals the square of the number of users.
Your capability deliveries lead to exponential growth in Enterprise Capability
Positive Operational Effect
# Net-Centric Services

29. Summary
COIs are the user forum for driving a net-centric information sharing approach forward
Formed to solve information sharing problems affecting a community
Make data and services visible, accessible, understandable, trusted and governable
Increase information sharing volume, speed, and reach to known and unanticipated users
COIs identify and help resolve enterprise issues
DoD Components plan, program, and budget to resource COI agreements
COIs result in net-centric information sharing capabilities to achieve effective military and government operations.

30. Backup Charts

31. Form a New COI or Use an Existing COI?
COIs can be formed to:
Address standing missions and business operations
Usually explicitly recognized, chartered, and persist for very long periods
Address information sharing problems in spirals with an objective to deliver solutions in 9 to 12 month spirals
Example: Blue Force Tracking COI
Support tactical missions and ad-hoc objectives
Usually implicitly recognized and persist for shorter periods (e.g., 3-6 months)
May also be a sub-group of another COI
Example: Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) COI
Things to Consider
Nature of the information sharing problem: Does it fit within the charter of an existing COI?
Resources: Less costly to leverage existing governance structure
Priority / Timing: Does your need align with existing COI priorities? If not, perhaps a new COI or sub-group is warranted.
Each COI is unique. Use the approach that makes the most sense for your information sharing problem.

32. Roles and Responsibilities
Operational Responsibilities
Executive Board
Adjudicate resolution of discrepancies across COIs
Promote use of COIs to solve data sharing problems
Promote and endorse COI activities and implement agreements
Review COI plan of action and milestones (POAM) status and success measures
Meets approximately annually
Steering Committee
Identify COI information sharing needs
Ensure appropriate stakeholders participate in COIs via COI working groups and appropriate representatives participate via the governing authority
Lead the COI, including developing and tracking POAMs
Act as a primary point of contact (POC) for the COI
Promote policies/practices for data sharing and COI participation
Identify mission-specific success criteria for the COI
Meets approximately quarterly (or as needed)

33. Roles and Responsibilities
Operational Responsibilities
Joint Implement-ation Working Group
Define and implement high level COI capability roadmap and schedule milestones
Prioritize data & services to be made available
Identify relevant programs of record (PoRs)
Stand up Pilot WG & identify pilot funding as needed
Synchronize COI products with existing processes (e.g., JCIDS, Acquisition, PPBE)
Promote net-centric information sharing policies across DoD Components (e.g., Net-Centric Data and Services strategies)
Contribute to COI requirements gathering processes and provide feedback on COI-defined information sharing capabilities
Meets approximately monthly
JCIDS: Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (replaces Requirements Generation System, RGS)
PPBE: Planning Programming Budgeting and Execution

34. Roles and Responsibilities
Operational Responsibilities
Data Manage-ment Working Group
Develop a shared vocabulary for a given domain in accordance with DoD Net-Centric Data Strategy
Ensure operator/end-user needs are represented in COI semantic and structural agreements
Maintain and update COI vocabulary based on stakeholder inputs
Meets at least monthly
Pilot Working Group
Develop repeatable process to demonstrate COI products (e.g., COI vocabulary, DoD Enterprise services)
Execute as risk reduction for next Program of Record (PoR) development spiral
Identify implementation alternatives and risks
Exercise COI vocabulary to ensure it meets user needs
Identify technical requirements for information and service sharing capabilities and recommend programming and budgeting changes to support them efficiently
Meets approximately weekly

35. DoD Net-Centric Data & Services Strategies’ Relationship to COIs
What COIs Do
Data
Services
Define info sharing need Create info exchange vocabulary with well defined syntax & semantics to address info sharing problem Publish vocab in registry Develop services to access and share data on DoDIN using COI vocab Use DoD Security infrastructure to provide assured access Create description of data available and advertise Register services in Service Registry for discovery and access Manage across programs
Understandable
Understandable
Accessible
Accessible
Visible
Visible/
Accessible
Govern

36. DoD Net-Centric Data & Services Strategies’ Relationship to Core Enterprise Services
Strategy
NCES
Federated Search
Content discovery across the Enterprise
DoD Discovery Metadata Specification (DDMS)
Discovery metadata to advertise information holdings
Metadata Registry
Electronic marketplace for structural metadata components
Service Registry
Catalog of services available for development time discovery
Service endpoints for runtime location transparency
Security Services
Authenticate via PKI Certificate
Authorize via attribute based access control
Data Visible
Data Visible
Data Understandable
Services Visible
Services Accessible
Data Accessible