Follow @gaijinass
CARVER Matrix: Tactical Target analysis
I have discussed utilizing the CARVER Matrix for a variety of things already on this blog:
- CARVER Matrix to prioritize
- CARVER Matrix for Management
- CARVER Matrix: Model Based Decision making vs your gut
- How to pick up women using the Matrix
Both of these have received a fair amount of attention so I decided to continue with the CARVER Matrix, and in fact, take things to the next level with TTA or Tactical Target Analysis.
In plain speak, what this means is a logical look at what you might want to do and whether or not it is possible, based on what you have to work with (time, money, tools, personnel etc).
I have gone over already what CARVER stands for. Criticality, Accessibility, Recuperability, Vulnerability, Effect and Recognizability. Criticality is, after all, the most important. Remember you can use this two ways (primarily). CARVER can be used to access potential targets for YOU to strike (or projects for you to do etc) and it can also be employed in Risk Management or vulnerability assessments to determine what your most high RISK targets are. Hence, CRITICALITY is paramount. The table below is a very good construct of the Matrix in question:
The Above table is a very military type version that the SOF (special operations forces) might employ in target assessment.
Once you have a basic CARVER Matrix put together detailing your own mission etc, then you can move on to what are called TTA.
So the military is hitting a town, city, country, whatever. They put together a CARVER Matrix to easily see on paper, what targets are going to have the biggest overall payoff and hence- the most helpful or conducive to mission accomplishment. See below:
Above you can see, in this diagram, all the possible targets in a given area have been listed, the CARVER Matrix has been employed, and the most primary target for the aggressing force to attack, OR, for the defending force to protect, is BULK ELECTRIC POWER.
You can use this for anything you are doing in life. List your goals and things you want to do, and employ the Carver matrix using the two diagrams above, remember to FIRST, CLEARLY DEFINE FIRST YOUR CURRENT LIFE GOAL, then CLEARLY DEFINE EACH GOAL OR TARGET GOING INTO THE MATRIX.
Once the primary target or goal is identified via the Matrix, you then, look at target subsystems and apply the same formula, see below:
Here we have a list of all the BULK ELECTRICAL POWER SUBSYTEMS. Out of this list, you can see that GENERATION is primary. This is the place that is most conducive to stopping or shutting down the BULK ELECTRICAL POWER. For example, if you list dieting in your Matrix for weight loss, and you find that it is primary, then you might want to go on to list individually, within DIETING, what components can you change, then put each of these components through the Matrix. See below:
These are all components for the GENERATION of BULK ELECTRICAL POWER and you can see that the TURBINE GENERATOR is the primary target. If you employ this system to dieting you might find that “Eliminating sweets” might be primary or perhaps “Eating smaller meals” might be. Whatever. Everything from Risk assessment, Route Recon, Threat assessment, Vulnerability checks, Security Systems Checks and on and on. It is all applicable.
You can simplify decision making processes and realize opportunities you might otherwise miss by employing this system.
Interested in CARVER Matrix? Read more about it in Model Based Decision Making vs. Your Gut and Assigning Values within a Matrix.
This shit’s cool. I think it would be interesting to see give a detailed CARVER matrix for a situation that non-military can relate to. You mentioned “losing weight,” but seeing the full Matrix and how you would set it up for something like that would be interesting.
I’m guessing for that kind of example, the items on the left would be stuff like “Making 90% of your own means.” And then the critical level of that particular item would be on an individual level. Like, maybe that’s a 5, because if you make your own lunch then you dont go to Mcdonalds and eat crap, and that sets your day right, so you are less likely to snack all day, and so on…
You are actually talking about the next post. I understand a discussion about neutralizing a foreign nations BULK ELECTRICAL POWER might not be too interesting to some, but 1. I want to show how the SOF might employ this and 2. I think some people are looking for military and security applications for this.
The next one will likely be a complete break down of a typical civilian “goal”.
I am also starting this for kickboxing, but this is a huge endeavor, to collect and correlate all the data etc. Its stressing me out, but its interesting. Stay tuned.
No, it’s definitely interesting. I like reading about the military-related stuff, but it will be interesting to see how you would apply this other activities.
There was a fad for this sort of decision making process back in the ’60s. It petered out when it became apparent that (a) the numbers that get put in are so vaguely defined that the results can usually be manipulated and (b) when management’s intuition doesn’t agree with the process judgment, the process judgment gets changed or ignored.
I think that coincides well with the militaries development of computerized forms of value distribution. A step toward further elimination of the human error aspect of the equation.
SOF uses it in Irregular Warfare: http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf&AD=ADA476057, or Google: “How to win and know it: an effects-based approach to irregular warfare”
Thanks for the link.
Hello admin i see you don’t monetize your blog. You can earn additional $$$ easily, search on youtube for: how to earn selling articles
The assessments were basically examples I’m assuming ? Having retired [ forcefully , thanks Bath House Barry ] from the power generation industry my take on most of it would be quite different . Especially the nuclear side of it which is much closer to accurate depiction by the Simpsons .