Topics of the 20th ICCRTS

The 20th ICCRTS will be comprised of tracks on various topics that explore C2 from a number of different perspectives. Authors are asked to think about this year’s theme as they prepare their papers and discuss the theme in the context of their research and analyses.

Topic 1: Concepts, Theory, and Policy

The changing nature of the missions being carried out has created a new reality. This reality demands that existing concepts, theories, and policies be revisited and discarded or adjusted, as necessary and new concepts, theory, and policy be developed.

Topic 2: Organizational Concepts and Approaches

This topic examines designing, analyzing, and implementing various approaches that are designed to develop shared intent, awareness and understanding and facilitate collective action (e.g., C2, management, governance, self- synchronization, emergent behaviors).

Topic 3: Data, Information and Knowledge

This topic will address 1) how to obtain new data, information, and knowledge including detection, collection, and instrumentation, 2) how to move from data to information to knowledge, and 3) ways of enhancing the value of data, information, and knowledge by making it more discoverable, accessible, widely shared, and understandable.

Topic 4: Experimentation, Metrics, and Analysis

This topic includes experiments, metrics and analyses related to any aspect of command and control—networking, management or governance, information sharing, trust, shared awareness, shared understanding, decision-making, planning, execution, and assessment of ongoing operations.

Topic 5: Modeling and Simulation

This topic encompasses models and simulations that represent emergent behaviors in C2.

Topic 6: Cyberspace, Communications, and Information Networks

This topic addresses the management of cyberspace and the design, development, fielding, operations (including protection and assurance) of communications and information networks.

Topic 7: Autonomy

This topic addresses the issues related to the integration of autonomous entities, human and agent-based, into organizations, processes, and systems.

Topic 8: Social Media

This topic will address 1) methods and techniques to monitor (find trends and anomalies), filter, capture and store social media data (text, video, images, etc.), 2) methods and techniques for the analysis of the associated metadata (from where, when, and how are people communicating? ), 3) methods and techniques to extract meaning from the content of the unstructured, messy social media content, and 4) experimental results using social media to explore social/cultural/political processes and behaviors. Experimental results should articulate how new knowledge can impact C2 Agility in a relevant operational mission.

Topic 9: C2-simulation Interoperability

This topic addresses the issues related to the ability of C2 (national and coalition) to interoperate with and incorporate simulation functionality.   Of interest are simulation technology topics and the representation of transfer of command intent.

Topic 10: Operational Issues

This topic will address the operational needs, gaps, overlaps, lessons learned, and best practices working with "Mission Partners" (Ministries', Departments', Bureaus', Agencies', Governments',  Militaries’, Special Operations and Conventional Forces). The papers should articulate how "Mission Partner" engagements and relationships impact operational missions.

Topic 11: Agile C2 Security

This topic addresses the design, development and operation of composable, reconfigurable, and resilient security systems in C2 cyberspace.

Topic 12: ISR for Decision Making

This topic addresses how ISR support to operations will evolve in concert with C2 adaptations to emerging threats, new technologies, and the velocity of information. Papers should explore how future intelligence analysis processes, tools, and /or technologies will enable agile decision making across scales and organizational boundaries. Of particular interest are concepts that extend beyond "conventional" temporal, geo-spatial, and network-based representation of data.