Collaboration Tools’ Vital Role in Army Project Convergence
As the Department of Defense pushes for greater adoption of CJADC2 initiatives across all branches of the military, Army-led Project Convergence aims to reach its modernization objectives and ensure future warfighting readiness with the help of secure collaboration tools. Though new weapons and defensive systems often get the most press, collaboration tools are essential for communicating in the field, saving lives, coordinating with allies, and conducting operations.
Take a moment to learn what differentiates mission-critical collaboration platforms and their importance for military operations like Project Convergence.
How Are Mission-Critical Collaboration Platforms Different From Standard Collaboration Platforms?
Slack, Asana, Microsoft 365, and Zoom are popular tools in the corporate world, but while these platforms excel at helping individuals and businesses collaborate, they’re not designed for mission-critical work.
In high-stakes operational environments, these tools raise the risks of:
- Data leakage
- Lack of full data custody
- Slow coordination between teams
- Mistaken decisions due to a lack of accurate, real-time information
Unlike more standard consumer and business-focused collaboration platforms, mission-critical collaboration platforms are built specifically for critical infrastructure, public safety, and national security clients. These platforms contain secure collaboration tools that allow defense teams to receive a comprehensive real-time operational picture. They may also allow integration with other collaboration tools (e.g., Microsoft 365) for greater user convenience and improved data security.
Examples of tools employed in these platforms include:
- Integrated voice, screen, file, and content sharing
- Toolchain integration
- Virtual command and control centers
- Process automation
- Incident response workflows
- DevOps collaboration tools
- Playbooks
Why Are Collaboration Tools Designed for Mission-Critical Work of Project Convergence?
Mission-critical collaboration tools can help Project Convergence meet its goal of delivering the Army of 2030 and designing the Army of 2040.
Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the primary benefits of mission-critical collaboration tools and use cases for military operations:
1. Improved Collaboration and More Well-Informed Decision Making
In the past, IT administrators, software engineers, and other operation teams have been siloed, making it difficult for them to collaborate. When these teams have to jump through hoops to talk with each other, problem-solving will be much slower, and important information could be lost in the back and forth.
Fortunately, a mission-critical collaboration platform that allows teams to communicate quickly can speed up operations and ensure decision-makers have the most up-to-date information on an operation or project.
For instance, a collaboration platform should serve as a centralized information hub that separate departments can use to track developments and better coordinate with each other. A platform that allows teams to integrate their existing tools can also ensure teams aren’t slowed down by having to learn a new tool.
A centralized information hub also helps teams share open-source intelligence (OSINT) with one another and react faster. For example, the Air Operations Center (AOC) within Air Mobility Command (AMC) has started using Dataminr to monitor emerging crises worldwide. By using this OSINT tool, AOC’s staff can collaborate and prepare response options before they’re given the order to act.
2. Better Coordination With Multi-National Partners
Alongside improving communication within the U.S. Army, collaboration tools enable easier and faster coordination with multi-national partners. One challenge Project Convergence faced while building a network was multi-national partners and services using different languages and standards in their communications and messaging systems. To counteract this problem, Major General Jeth Ray forbade service members from saying the network was broken and instead had them collaborate to identify the root cause of an issue.
This strategy became a major success, with service members becoming far more specific about what they needed and how they planned to achieve their tasks. Since multi-national partners will have different processes and standards, it’s essential for service members (from the U.S. and allied countries) to have effective means to communicate issues. Collaboration platforms enable this level of multi-national cooperation and can make collaboration far more efficient.
A platform that integrates Active Directory (AD) service and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol can also be helpful when working with multi-national partners, as AD/LDAP integration keeps communications organized and streamlined. With AD/LDAP integration, the Army can quickly onboard new users (including multi-national users) to relevant channels and teams, ensuring these users aren’t left out of important conversations. AD/LDAP also streamlines the quick removal of users from groups and makes it easier to manage private channels.
3. More Robust Security and Reliable Communications
In the field, the last thing you need is unwanted eyes on your communications. With Army personnel often deployed in dangerous locations, communication has to be secure, and it has to be reliable. Collaboration platforms that allow you to deploy in a private cloud or on-premises give users full control over data and security. Additionally, secure and reliable mobile communications can give service members the edge they need to act quickly and decisively without the fear of an enemy listening in.
In a combat scenario, a lack of robust security could result in communications being intercepted. An enemy force could then use the information in those communications to launch an attack, take advantage of potential weaknesses, or retreat to a new position.
By better protecting communications with robust security tools, the Army can safeguard its data while also protecting military personnel and civilians who could be put in danger if the data was intercepted. Platforms with granular compliance and security configuration also help prevent data theft and ensure that only authorized users access sensitive data.
4. Faster and More Comprehensive Response to Threats
Whether the Army is assisting with disaster relief efforts or fighting an enemy in the field, a few seconds can be the difference. Incident response collaboration tools speed up the time it takes to communicate key information to personnel and commanders, giving them a real-time operational picture. Since a collaboration platform provides centralized tools and data, it also enhances cross-team collaboration and supports primary, alternate, contingency, and emergency communication plans.
In practice, AMC has used Mattermost, a collaboration and workflow platform, to speed up communications between teams. For example, processes that used to take AMC staff two hours now only take 30 minutes for them to complete while using Mattermost. Mattermost’s Playbooks can also increase real-time situational awareness for commanders, helping them quickly assign tasks to team members, see what tasks have been completed, and identify where bottlenecks might be.
Alongside centralizing tools and data, a collaboration platform should make it possible for an organization to own the environments where the data is stored. While storing data in a provider’s environment is often fine for private companies, the Army needs to own its own environments for greater security. Mattermost understands this need, with our clients owning the environments where their data resides.
Choose Mattermost for Secure Collaboration Tools Designed for Mission-Critical Work
As a leading collaboration and workflow platform designed for mission-critical work, Mattermost is trusted by defense and critical infrastructure organizations to ensure better outcomes and mission success without compromising on security. From enabling the Air Force to improve information availability to eliminating data silos for Space Force, we’re confident in our ability to serve all military branches and projects.
Interested in learning more about how Mattermost can support Project Convergence and other defense projects? Review Mattermost’s defense capabilities today.
