text: Mission Command
  COLLABORATIVE PLANNING
  4-140. Collaborative planningistwo or more echelons planning together in real time,sharing information,
  perceptions,and ideasto develop their respective plans simultaneously (ADP 5-0). Collaborative planning is
  the real-time interaction among commanders and staffs at two or more echelons developing plans for a single
  operation. It must be used judiciously.
  4-141. Collaborative planning is most appropriate when time is scarce,and a limited number of options are
  being considered. It is particularly useful when the commander and staff can benefit from the input of
  subordinate commanders and staffs.
  4-142. Collaborative planning is not appropriate when the staff is working a large number of COAs or
  branches and sequels,many of which will be discarded. In this case,involving subordinates wastes precious
  time working options that are later discarded. Collaborative planning also is often not appropriate during
  ongoing operations in which extended planning sessions take commanders and staffs away from conducting
  current operations.
  4-143. As a rule of thumb,if the commander is directly involved in time-sensitive planning,some level of
  collaborative planning probably is needed. The commander,not the staff,must make the decision to conduct
  collaborative planning. Only the commander can commit subordinate commanders to using their time for
  collaborative planning.
  DISTRIBUTED PLANNING
  4-144. Digital communications and information systems enable members of the same staff to execute the
  MDMP without being collocated. Distributed planning saves time and increases the accuracy of available
  information in that it allows for the rapid transmission of voice and data information,which can be used by
  staffs over a wide geographical area. (See ATP 3-12.3 for information on appropriate electromagnetic
  protection[EP]active and passive measures.)
  INTEGRATING PROCESSES
  4-145. Throughout the operations process, the BCT commander and staff integrate warfighting functions
  to synchronize the force according to the commander’s intent and concept of operations. The commander
  and staff use integrating processes (see ADP 5-0)to synchronize specific functions throughout the operations
  process in addition to the major activities. The integrating processes are intelligence preparation of the
  battlefield(IPB)(see ATP 2-01.3),information collection (see FM 3-55),targeting (see ATP 3-60),RM(see
  ATP 5-19),and knowledge management (see ATP 6-01.1).
  INTELLIGENCE PREPARATION OF THE BATTLEFIELD
  4-146. Intelligence preparation of the battlefield is the systematic process of analyzing the mission
  variables of enemy,terrain,weather,and civil considerations in an area of interest to determine their effect
  on operations (ATP 2-01.3). Led by the BCT S-2, the entire staff participates in the IPB to develop and
  sustain an understanding of the threat, terrain and weather, and civil considerations. IPB helps identify
  options available to friendly and threat forces.
  4-147. During planning, the commander focuses activities on understanding, visualizing, and describing,
  while directing and assessing. The IPB is one of the processes the commander uses to aid in planning (see
  ATP 2-01.3). The IPB consists of four steps. Each step is performed or assessed and refined to ensure that
  IPB products remain complete and relevant. Figure 4-8 on page 4-32 shows the relationship between IPB
  and the steps of the MDMP along with key inputs and outputs during the process. The four IPB steps are—
  (cid:122) Define the operational environment.
  (cid:122) Describe environmental effects on operations.
  (cid:122) Evaluate the threat.
  (cid:122) Determine threat COAs.