Step 1 of the IPB process determines what the analysis is about: the geographic and operational limits of the mission, the relevant dimensions of the battlespace, and the characteristics of the environment that warrant further study. It is the foundation for everything that follows — an error here propagates through every subsequent step.
After this chapter you can:
- explain the difference between Area of Operations, Area of Interest and area of influence;
- define the battlespace across all relevant dimensions (ground, air, information, time);
- identify significant environmental characteristics that drive further analysis;
- formulate the first intelligence gaps and requirements;
- name the products of Step 1.
Step 1 is a scoping decision, not an administrative formality. Too narrow means being surprised by what happens outside the frame; too broad means wasting analytical capacity on what doesn't matter.
Relationship with mission analysis and METT-TC
Step 1 largely coincides with the MDMP's mission analysis. The staff breaks down the mission using METT-TC: Mission, Enemy, Terrain & weather, Troops available, Time, Civil considerations. The "Enemy", "Terrain" and "Civil" elements are exactly the questions IPB will answer in Steps 2 and 3 — Step 1 sets the frame within which that happens.
Inputs to Step 1: the higher headquarters' order (with imposed boundaries and coordination lines), commander's intent, available baseline intelligence, and the operation's timeline.