text: Chapter 5
  INTELLIGENCE PREPARATION OF THE OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT PROCESS STEPS
  5-47. The IPOE process consists of the following four steps:
  ⚫ Define the OE.
  ⚫ Describe environmental effects on operations.
  ⚫ Evaluate the threat.
  ⚫ Determine threat COAs.
  Note. Although there are four steps to the IPOE process, IPOE must seamlessly combine with pre-
  mission analysis of the OE; the leveraging of data, information, and intelligence; and situation
  development to serve as a continuous effort, with all staff members providing support to the
  intelligence warfighting function. Continuous analysis and assessments are necessary to maintain
  situational understanding of the OE in constant flux.
  Step 1—Define the Operational Environment
  5-48. An OE for any specific operation comprises more than the interacting variables that exist within a
  specific physical area. It also involves interconnected influences from the global or regional perspective (such
  as politics, economics) that affect OE conditions and operations. Thus, each commander’s OE is part of a
  higher commander’s OE. Defining the OE results in the identification of—
  ⚫ Significant characteristics of the OE that can affect friendly and threat operations.
  ⚫ Gaps in current intelligence holdings.
  5-49. Step 1 is important because it assists the commander in defining relevant aspects of the OE in time and
  space. This is equally important when considering characteristics of the domains and dimensions of the OE.
  Aspects of the OE may act simultaneously across the battlefield but may only factor in friendly or threat
  operations at specific times and locations.
  5-50. During step 1, the intelligence staff must identify those significant characteristics related to the mission
  variables of enemy, terrain and weather, and civil considerations that are relevant to the mission. The staff
  evaluates significant characteristics to identify gaps and initiate information collection. The staff then justifies
  the analysis to the commander. Failure to identify or misidentifying the effect these variables may have on
  operations at a given time and place can hinder decision making and result in developing an ineffective
  information collection strategy. During step 1, the AO, AOI, and area of influence must also be identified
  and established.
  5-51. Understanding friendly and threat forces is not enough; other factors, such as culture, languages, tribal
  affiliations, and operational and mission variables, can be equally important. Identifying the significant
  characteristics of the OE is essential in identifying the additional information needed to complete IPOE. Once
  approved by the commander, this information becomes the commander’s initial intelligence requirement,
  which focuses the commander’s initial information collection effort and the remaining IPOE process steps.
  5-52. Additionally, where a unit will be assigned and how its operations will synchronize with other
  associated operations must be considered. For example, the intelligence staff should be forming questions
  about where the unit will deploy within the entire theater and the specific logistics requirements to handle
  the operation’s contingency plans.
  Step 2—Describe Environmental Effects on Operations
  5-53. During step 2 of the IPOE process, the staff describes how significant characteristics affect friendly
  operations. The intelligence staff also describes how terrain, weather, civil considerations, and friendly forces
  affect threat forces. This evaluation focuses on the general capabilities of each force until the development
  of threat COAs in step 4 of IPOE and friendly COAs later in the MDMP. The entire staff determines the
  effects of friendly and threat force actions on the population.