TASK PROCEDURE AND THE ORDER GIVING PROCESS

TaskProcedure / OrdersFormatAideMemoire

TaskProcedure-Steps

Step1–Receiveorders:Theseinitialorders,deliveredbyasuperior,allowyoutostartpreparingforthetask.Ordersmaybedeliveredassimpletaskinstructions(innospecificformat)orviaawarningorderformorecomplicatedtasks.AwarningorderwillthennormallybefollowedbythepresentationofformalordersusingtheSMESCformat(verbalorwritten(operationorder).

Step2-Conductaminitimeappreciationbeforebriefingyoursubordinates.Thisinvolvesjudgingtheamountoftimeavailableandallottingacertainamounttoeachactivitythatmust takeplacepriortotaskcompletion.Thisinvolvesconsideringthecurrenttime,timeneededforaminirecce,whenthewarningordershouldbedeliveredtoyoursubordinates,andwhenthetaskmustbecompleted.

Step3-Conductaminireconnaissance(recce)beforebriefingyoursubordinates.Thisinvolvescollectingtheinformationthatwillaffectinitialplanningandtheconductofconcurrentactivity.

Step4-Prepareandtransmitawarningordertoyoursubordinates.Inordertoprepare,theymustbegivennoticeofanupcomingtaskoractivityassoonaspossible.Asaminimumitshouldstate:

thenatureofthetask

thelocationandtimeforthepresentationofverbalordersordistributionofwrittenorders

theearliesttimeforamoveorcommencementofactivities

anyadministrativepreparationorconcurrentactivitythattheteamcanstartdoingwhilethedetailedtimeappreciationandreccearebeingconductedandordersprepared

Step5-Conductadetailedtimeappreciation.Youmustplanthetimeallocationbackwardsfromsuccessfulcompletionofthetasktothepresenttime.Thefollowingquestionswillhelpdeterminewhatmustbeaccountedfor:

howmuchtimeistherebetweennowandwhenthetaskmustbecompleted?

whatmustbeaccomplishedduringthattime(eg.detailedrecce,planning,orders,moves,meals,etc)?

howmuchtimecanbeallocatedforeachactivity?

whatisthelogicalsequencefortaskcompletionandwhichofthemcanbedoneconcurrently?

Step6-Conductadetailedreccewithanyoneelsewhohasbeenassignedakeyresponsibility.Thisisanopportunitytostudythelocationandresourcesindepth.Routesareplotted,sitesetupismappedout,risksareassessed,safetyissuesconsidered,equipmentistested,andordersarechecked.Detailednotesshouldbemade.

Step7-Makeaplanandprepareorders.Thisiswherelogicalanalysisorthemilitaryestimatewillbeusedtodeterminethebestwaytoaccomplishthetask.Onceanoptionischosen,theleadermustdothefollowingtotranslateitintoaplan:

identifythemajorsteps(phases)orlogicalsequencethatyoumustfollowtocompletetheplanandachievetheaimofthetask.Thisinvolvesdetermining:

a.WHATtasksmustbedone

b.WHOwilldothem

c.WHENwork(includingeachsubordinatephase,ifapplicable)muststartandfinish

d.WHEREtheworkwilltakeplaceandhowtogetthere,ifapplicable

e.HOWtasksaretobecompleted(eg.procedurestofollow)

Youcannowprepareadiagram,orplanningmatrix,thatillustratesthesefivethings.Yoursubordinateswillrequirethesedetailssotheycancompletetheirtasksinthemannerdesiredbyyou.Thismatrixwilltranslateintothegroupingsandtasksthatyouwillassignwhenissuingyourorders:

Planningmatrix:

Task (WHAT) / WHO / WHEN / WHERE / HOW

Step8–Issueorders.Yourplanwillultimatelybedeliveredtoyourteameitherinverbalorwrittenformat.Theordersshouldincludealltheinformationrequiredtoachievetheaim.TheSMESCformatprovidedonPage3outlinesalogicalformatforthepresentationoforders,asitsimplifiestheprocesswhileretainingbrevity,clarityandcompleteness.