text: Planning
  4-82. The IO officer ensures that the staff considers IO when analyzing relative combat power. IO can be
  especially valuable in reducing resource expenditures by other combat power elements. For example,
  commanders can use electronic warfare to jam a communications node instead of using fires to destroy it.
  4-83. IO contributions are often difficult to factor into numerical force ratios. With IO officer support, staff
  planners consider the effects of IO on the intangible factors of military operations as they assess relative
  combat power. Intangible factors include such things as the uncertainty of war and the will of friendly forces
  and the threat. Varied approaches and methods may be used to achieve IO effects. One method is to increase
  the relative combat power assigned to forces who effectively employ organic IRCs. For example, strict
  OPSEC discipline by friendly forces increases the difficulty the threat has in collecting information. Units
  with a Theater IO Group OPSEC support detachment may further increase their relative combat power as a
  result of this augmentation.
  GENERATE OPTIONS
  4-84. Options are expressed as COAs. Given the increasing impact of the information environment on
  operations and the threat's use of information-focused warfare to gain advantage, staffs recognize that, in
  certain COAs, IO may be the main effort.
  4-85. The IO officer assists the staff in considering the ways that IO can support each COA. This requires
  the IO officer to determine which IRCs to employ and the trade-offs associated with each. In brainstorming
  options, the IO officer thinks first in an unconstrained manner, then refines available options based on the
  running estimate and knowledge of available assets and those that are anticipated. During this sub-step, the
  IO officer also develops input to military deception COAs, if applicable. The main output of this effort is an
  initial scheme of IO by phase for each COA.
  ARRAY FORCES
  4-86. The staff arrays forces to determine the forces necessary to accomplish the mission and to develop a
  knowledge base for making decisions concerning concepts of operations. The IO officer ensures planners
  consider the impact of available IRCs on force ratios as they determine the initial placements. IRCs may
  reduce the number of maneuver forces required or may increase the COA options available. Planners consider
  the deception story during this step because aspects of it may affect unit positioning.
  4-87. Although the staff considered IRC availability when developing COAs, this step allows them to further
  validate if the required capabilities are present and, if not, determine if they can be obtained and positioned
  in time to achieve required effects. It also enables the IO officer to determine if available IRCs are properly
  positioned and task-organized.
  DEVELOP A BROAD CONCEPT
  4-88. The broad concept concisely expresses the “how” of the commander's visualization and will eventually
  provide the framework for the concept of operations and summarizes the contributions of all warfighting
  functions (FM 6-0). The IO officer develops schemes of IO and IO objectives for each COA that nest with
  the broad concept. With input from IRC representatives, the IO officer considers how IRCs can achieve the
  IO objectives.
  4-89. IO schemes of support are further expressed in terms of the weighted efforts required to support the
  overall concept of operations. Depending on proportion of offense, defense, and stability tasks, the IO officer
  determines the best mix of attack, defend, and stability IO efforts needed to ensure achievement of objectives.
  The IO officer then determines which IRCs to allocate to each effort and possible tasking conflicts.
  4-90. During this sub-step, the IO officer develops control measures, critical and defended asset lists, and
  additional EEFIs for each COA, as well as determines OPSEC vulnerabilities and measures. Most
  importantly, the IO officer produces five essential, often time-intensive, outputs. These are—
  * COA worksheets.
  * Synchronization matrix.
  * Target nominations.