text: Chapter 4
  Information Collection Tasking and Directing
  This chapter describes the importance of information collection tasking and directing.
  It discusses how the staff finalizes the information collection plan and develops the
  information collection overlay. Lastly, this chapter discusses the development of the
  information collection scheme of support.
  IMPORTANCE OF TASKING AND DIRECTING
  4-1. The operations staff integrates collection assets through a deliberate and coordinated effort across all
  warfighting functions. Tasking and directing information collection is vital to control limited collection
  assets. During tasking and directing information collection, the staff recommends redundancy, mix, and cue
  as appropriate. Planning information collection activities begins once requirements are established,
  validated, and prioritized. Staffs accomplish tasking information collection by issuing warning orders,
  fragmentary orders, and operation orders. They accomplish directing information collection assets by
  continuously monitoring the operation. Staffs conduct retasking to refine, update, or create new
  requirements.
  FINAL INFORMATION COLLECTION PLAN
  4-2. To finalize the information collection plan, the staff must complete several important activities and
  review several considerations to achieve a fully synchronized, efficient, and effective plan. The information
  collection plan also applies to the rapid decisionmaking and synchronization process. Updating information
  collection activities during the execution and assessment activities of the operations process is crucial to the
  successful execution and subsequent adjustments of the information collection plan. The information
  collection plan is implemented through execution of asset tasking. The tasking process provides the
  selected collection assets with prioritized requirements. When collection tasks or requests are passed to
  units, the staff provides details that clearly define the collection requirements. These requirements
  identify—
  * What to collect—information requirements and essential elements of information.
  * Where to collect it—named areas of interest (NAIs) and target areas of interest (TAIs).
  * When and how long to collect.
  * Why to collect—answer commander’s critical information requirements (CCIRs).
  4-3. The information collection plan is an execution order. It should be published in the five-paragraph
  operation order format as a warning order, an operation order, or a fragmentary order. Staffs use the
  information collection plan to task, direct, and manage collection assets (both assigned and attached assets)
  to collect against the requirements. The operations officer tasks and directs information collection
  activities. The intelligence staff helps the staff develop the information collection plan by providing the
  requirement planning tools. (See ATTP 2-01 for additional information on developing planning
  requirement tools). Staffs—
  * Integrate the information collection plan into the scheme of maneuver.
  * Publish annex L (information collection) to the operation order that tasks assets to begin the
  collection effort.
  * Ensure the information collection plan addresses all of the commander’s requirements.
  * Ensure assigned and attached assets have been evaluated and recommended for information
  collection tasks within their capabilities.
  * Ensure the collection tasks outside the capabilities of assigned and attached assets have been
  prepared as requests for information to appropriate higher or lateral headquarters.
  * Publish any fragmentary orders and warning orders associated with information collection.