text: Appendix B
  Table B-2. The military decision-making process, step 1: receipt of mission
  Higher headquarters plan or Begin updating the signal Initial signal running estimate.
  order. running estimate.
  Planning products from higher Gather tools to prepare for
  headquarters, including the mission analysis specific to
  signal annex (annex H) signal support.
  Provide signal input for
  formulation of the
  commander’s initial guidance
  and warning order.
  MISSION ANALYSIS (STEP 2)
  B-12. Mission analysis is the method for clearly identifying a problem and the tools available to solve it.
  Commanders and their staffs conduct mission analysis to develop their understanding of the situation and
  problem, identify what the command must accomplish, when and where it must be done, and why. The signal
  staff gathers, analyzes, and synthesizes information on the current conditions of the operational environment
  with an emphasis on signal support, spectrum management operations, and the information environment. At
  this point, planners identify any restraints imposed by signal systems in the intended operational environment.
  B-13. Planning using the Army design methodology may occur before the military decision-making process,
  take place concurrently with the military decision-making process, or might not be conducted at all. The
  commander and staff should review Army design products, if available, to enhance situational understanding
  and integrate them into the military decision-making process.
  B-14. Intelligence support to signal begins with intelligence preparation of the battlefield and continues
  throughout the operations process. 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). The signal staff and CEMA section coordinate with the
  G-2 (S-2) staff to identify enemy and adversary capabilities and help develop models, situation templates,
  event templates, high-value targets, named areas of interest, and other outputs from the intelligence process,
  including enemy and adversary cyberspace, EW, and communications information.
  B-15. The signal staff identifies—
  * Facts and assumptions (what planners know and what they assume to be true about the operation,
  operational area, and enemy).
  * Tasks.
   Specified.
   Implied.
   Essential.
  * Planning constraints—what the unit must do.
  * Planning restraints—what the unit cannot do.
  * Risks.
  B-16. Some information from the higher headquarters order, if it is available, establishes the basis for
  developing the signal plan. The G-6 (S-6) should extract—
  * Task organization.
  * Reporting requirements.
  * Higher headquarters communications support and architecture.
  * Enemy command and control capabilities and threat.