Marine corps applications of data farming

Project Albert is a modeling and simulation initiative of the United States marine corps that combines the rapid prototyping of agent-based distillations with the exploratory power of data farming to rapidly generate insight into military questions (Fry 2002). Data farming focuses on the complete landscape of possible system responses, rather than attempting to pinpoint an answer. This "big picture" solution landscape is an invaluable aid to the decision maker in light of the complex nature of the modern battle-space. And while there is no such thing as an optimal decision in a system where the enemy has a vote, data farming allows the decision maker to more fully understand the landscape of possibilities and thereby make an informed decision. The goal of data farming is that decision makers will no longer be surprised by surprise. This paper outlines some data farming explorations conducted over the past few years