MDMP – JOPP – MCPP
Major William B. Pittman
18 September 2015
UNCLASSIFIED
PURPOSE
• Information Brief
• Introduce Alternative Planning Methodologies to MDMP
• Introduce Doctrinal References
UNCLASSIFIED
Military Decisionmaking Process
• “The military decisionmaking process is an
iterative planning methodology to
understand the situation and mission,
develop a course of action, and produce an
operation plan or order.”
• “The military decision making process helps
leaders apply thoroughness, clarity, sound
judgment, logic, and professional knowledge
to understand situations, develop options to
solve problems, and reach decisions.”
FM 6-0
US Army Military
Decisionmaking Process
(MDMP)
1. Receipt of Mission
2. Mission Analysis
3. COA Development
4. COA Analysis
5. COA Comparison
6. COA Approval
7. Orders
Production,
Dissemination and
Transition
Joint Operations Planning Process
• “JOPP is an orderly, analytical process, which
consists of a set of logical steps to examine a
mission; develop, analyze, and compare
alternative COAs; select the best COA; and
produce a plan or order.”
JP 5-0
Joint Operation Planning
Process (JOPP)
1. Planning Initiation
2. Mission Analysis
3. COA Development
4. COA Analysis and
Wargaming
5. COA Comparison
6. COA Approval
7. Plan or Order
Development
Marine Corps Planning Process
• “A six-step methodology which helps
organize the thought process of the
commander and staff throughout the
planning and execution of military
operations. It focuses on the mission and the
threat and is based on the USMC philosophy
of maneuver warfare.”
MCWP 5-1
USMC Marine Corps
Planning Process (MCPP)
1. Problem Framing
2. COA Development
3. COA Wargaming
4. COA Comparison
and Decision
5. Orders
Development
6. Transition
Conceptual
UNCLASSIFIED
COMPARISON: MDMP, JOPP, MCPP
MDMP
JOPP
Army Design
Methodology
Operational
Design
1. Receipt of Mission
Detailed
2. Mission Analysis
WO
WO
MCPP
1. Problem Framing
CIG
1. Planning Initiation
CI
IPG
JIPOE
IPB
2. Mission Analysis
Design
IPB
3. COA Development
3. COA Development
2. COA Development
4. COA Analysis
4. COA Analysis and
Wargaming
3. COA Wargaming
5. COA Comparison
5. COA Comparison
6. COA Approval
7. Orders Production,
Dissemination and
Transition
WO
6. COA Approval
4. COA Comparison
and Decision
7. Plan or Order
Development
5. Orders
Development
6. Transition
WO
WO
CONCLUSION
• Planners will use different doctrine and methodologies depending on
what type of staff they are supporting
• MDMP, MCPP, and JOPP are very similar
REFERENCES
• FM 6-0, Commander and Staff Organization and Operations
• Chapter 9
• JP 5-0, Joint Operations Planning
• Chapters 3-4
• MCWP 5-1, Marine Corps Planning Process
• Chapters 1-7