Performance Technology Perspective on the
9-11 Commission ReportInformation Sharing
April FoilesMike TeamanPatricia GuthrieWyn Jamison Nicholas GladingKathleen Borsos-Wooley
04/14/23
Information Sharing:IntroductionInformation Sharing:Introduction
• Information sharing & 9/11 What actually happened?
• Optimal performance of information sharing Where do we need to be?
• Drivers & barriers to information sharing What are the key factors to get us there?
• Suggested Solution System
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Information Sharing:ActualsInformation Sharing:Actuals
What happened?
– Information which potentially could have prevented 9/11 was not shared and utilized by the appropriate agencies.
Including: names of key terrorists, attack plans, and activities. Each agency had a different piece of the puzzle. Critical information could not be accessed by those who could use it. Information was pushed upwards awaiting top level approval and
dissemination, only to be bogged down, rather than shared horizontally between agencies where swift action could be taken.
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Information Sharing:ActualsInformation Sharing:Actuals
Why could information not be shared?
– Agency databases inadequate Not designed for inter-agency sharing Not designed for analysis of historical data Do not incorporate local agencies
– Cultures of agencies Cold War cultures required absolute secrecy Agencies collect and analyze information differently
• CIA - successful predictions
• FBI - successful convictions
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Information Sharing:FBI & CIA (for example)
Information Sharing:FBI & CIA (for example)
Agency FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation
CIA Central Intelligence Agency
What is it? Law enforcement agency Intelligence agency
Mission Convict criminals. Predict world events.
Method Find specific evidence that they can use in court.
Secrecy is all important. Never reveal sources. Watch criminals.
Scope United States of America Everywhere EXCEPT the USA
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Information Sharing:The “Optimal” OccurrenceInformation Sharing:The “Optimal” Occurrence
Where do we need to be?
– Information Sharing Organizations should provide incentives for sharing. Participation from all levels of government under one shared mission.
– Information Sharing Procedures Information should be processed, reported, and distributed according to a
uniform set of high standards. Information should be shared horizontally between agencies.
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Information Sharing:The “Optimal” OccurrenceInformation Sharing:The “Optimal” Occurrence
Where do we need to be?
– Leadership President should lead agency information reform.
• Establishment of the Terrorist Threat Integration Center (TTIC)
Sharing and use of information must be directed by practical guidelines.
– Building Trust Procedures must take into account the people, the nation’s business –
and must spend taxpayer money judiciously.
– Let’s Move Things Along!
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Information Sharing:The “Optimal” OccurrenceInformation Sharing:The “Optimal” Occurrence
Where do we need to be?
– Exemplars: Communities of Practice - local, state, & federal agency response teams
2002 Olympics (State of Utah & Pentagon’s Defense Threat Reduction Agency)
CATIC (California Anti-Terrorism Information Center) working with Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and NYC Police Department
FBI Dallas Office’s Emergency Response Network (800+ public & private agencies)
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Information Sharing:Drivers & BarriersInformation Sharing:Drivers & Barriers
What are the key factors that need to be addressed in order to achieve optimal information sharing?
– Skills/Knowledge Border, screening, and immigration agents don’t know what to look for or
what to share. Agencies have different approaches to gathering and using intelligence
that are not integrated into a unified effort.
– Motivation Border, screening, and immigration agents don’t have confidence
screening for possible terrorist threats. Agencies don’t value information sharing due to Cold War cultures still
present that required absolute security of sources and information.
04/14/23
Information Sharing:Drivers & BarriersInformation Sharing:Drivers & Barriers
What are the key factors that need to be addressed in order to achieve optimal information sharing?
– Environment No joint mission or agency to manage it. No standardized system or coordinated database in place for information
collecting and sharing. No communication system to unify all intelligence gathering sources. Analysis of intelligence scattered amongst agencies with no collaboration
of efforts and information. Although civil liberties & privacy rights need to be ensured, security
requirements nurture over classification and excessive compartmentalization of information.
No top level leadership to encourage sharing.
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Information Sharing:Drivers & BarriersInformation Sharing:Drivers & Barriers
What are the key factors that need to be addressed in order to achieve optimal information sharing?
– Incentives Agencies have “need to know” cultures, rather than “need to share”
• Few rewards (& possibly punishment) for information sharing
• No punishment for not sharing
Lack of inter-agency trust with sharing sources and methods.
Funding incentives encourage individual agency successes, rather than success of joint mission amongst all agencies.
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Information Sharing:Solution SystemInformation Sharing:Solution System
A solution with a common vision…
– Government restructuring Presidential leadership promoting information sharing
National Intelligence Director (NID) to direct and manage international, domestic and defense intelligence agencies
Terrorist Threat Integration Center (TTIC)• Coordinate national defense against terrorism• Ensure horizontal information sharing• Maintain and analyze shared information database systemically
Joint CIA-FBI anti-terrorism task force• Funded and managed as independent agency
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Information Sharing:Solution SystemInformation Sharing:Solution System
A solution with a common vision…
– Knowledge Management System Networked National Community
• Ground-up NOT Top-down Approach
• Integrated NOT Stove-piped
• Horizontal access for all levels of government
Robust Information System• Redundancy - reduces dependency on any one “arm”
• Interoperability - flexibility; uses existing systems
• Open standards - connectivity, consistency
• Safeguards Civil Liberties Review and permission structure Audit trail of information access
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Information Sharing:Solution SystemInformation Sharing:Solution System
A solution with a common vision…
– Systematic Training & Process Development Scenario and data collection training, including performance support
tools, for border, screening, and immigration agents
• Incorporate mentoring and coaching systems using top performers
• Online community of practice to maintain learning and optimal performance
Feedback systems that promote sharing and discourage withholding
Standardized system for gathering, analyzing and sharing information
Standardized system for communication amongst local and federal agencies
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Information Sharing:9-11 Commission ResourcesInformation Sharing:9-11 Commission Resources
• National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (also known as the 9-11 Commission)
http://www.9-11commission.gov/
• The September 11 Digital Archive
http://911digitalarchive.org/
• The Family Steering Committee for the 9-11 Independent Commission
http://www.911independentcommission.org/
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