Experience / Project

Joint Doctrine Development Tool: Summary

The Joint Chiefs of Staff required a web-based document-staffing tool for coordinating documents with military commands and civilian agencies around the globe. PenBay Technology Group, working as a subcontractor to SAIC, has developed an enterprise software application that allows multiple organizations (or multiple levels within the same organization) to coordinate on a draft document; track all comments made and provide a complete history of how each comment was handled; and assist with the production of the next version of the document.

Challenges

The software had to be capable of loading MS Word documents with a high degree of replicability. The software needed to be easy to use to support the constant turnover of commenters. It had to be robust enough to handle thousands of comments on a document and support simultaneous reviews of separate documents. It could not require any software installation on reviewers’ systems. The software had to meet all security requirements found in the Defense Information Systems Agency Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG). 

Solution

In order to meet all the requirements suitable for a multi-agency document handling tool, PenBay Technology Group and SAIC created the Joint Doctrine Development Tool (JDDT) as a web-based application to:

• Handle large documents in MS Word format
• Automate the collection and collation of comments from multiple reviewers and store them in a central database
• Ensure the matrices of comments downloaded from the developer site can be updated and added back to the site to continue the coordination process
• Provide different analysis views of the comment data to meet the needs of different users (authors, consolidators, reviewers, administrators)
• Allow review and consolidation of comments from subordinates at the Service, combatant command, and Joint Staff levels prior to submission to authors
• Allow reviewers to see adjudicated comments
• Reduce reviewer errors by providing a standardized method for making comments
• Produce the next draft of the document

Results

The JDDT has been the system of record for the Joint Staff J7 for the past five years. The system has more than 10,000 users and has successfully processed over 100 draft publications. It has eliminated a lot of manual work by high cost personnel to manage, distribute, notify, merge, copy, paste, track, and remind – streamlining the review process and creating efficiencies.