THE MARINE CORPS PLANNING PROCESS

STEP ONE: PROBLEM FRAMING

DESIGN
- Describe the Current and
KEY INPUTS Desired States
- Define the Problem Set
KEY RESULTS
Higher Headquarters - Develop the Broad Graphic & narrative describing the
- Guidance & Intent Operational Approach current and desired state
- Mission Statement
- WARNO/OPORD Broad Operational Approach
- Intelligence/IPB Products
- Confirmation Briefs Initial estimates of supportability
(MSC)
Situational Information
Initial staff estimates (Staff)
Commander and Staff
Approved Mission Statement
- Experience
- Expertise STAFF ACTIONS
- Judgement Commander’s Intent
- Task Analysis
- Center of Gravity Analysis COA Development guidance
- Relative Combat Power
Analysis
- Assumption/Limitations
- CCIRs/RFIs
- Draft Mission Statement
- Resource Shortfalls
- Estimates (Staff & MSC)
- Update IPB products
- Red Cell/Green Cell/Red
Team

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 Problem Framing
Purpose: To gain an understanding of the environment and the nature of the problem set.

DESIGN
Goal is to achieve understanding
STAFF ACTIONS through critical thinking and dialogue
Concurrent and Complementary
1. Commander’s Orientation
1. Analyze Tasks
-Specified: Anything specified
5. Develop Mission Statement 2. Describe the current and
desired states of the operating PRESENT PROBLEM
-Who, What, Where, When, Why
(OPORD, Mission Statement,
verbal, etc)
- Must address the problem set environment
3. Define the problem set FRAMING BRIEF
-Implied: Necessary to accomplish
a specified task 6. Propose Initial CCIRs -As they exist within the
-Essential: Specified or implied environment
tasks that MUST be performed to -Planning CCIRs -Preventing the environment from
accomplish mission -Operational CCIRs progressing toward the desired
state
2. Analyze Center of Gravity 7. Perform Ongoing Activities 4. Develop the Broad
-Enemy and friendly (COG, CC, -IPB product refinement Operational Approach COMMANDER’S COURSE
OF ACTION GUIDANCE
CR, CV) -Red Cell activities/Green Cell
activities - Input and Synthesis of both
-Refinement of staff estimates design and staff actions
3. Develop Assumptions - Graphic and Narrative
and estimates of supportability
-Battlespace refinement - Commander’s initial intent and Broad Operational Approach
-Logical
-Realistic -Resource shortfalls identification guidance
-Essential for Planning -Commander’s Critical Information
-Doesn’t assume away an Requirement review/update
adversary capability -Requests for information

4. Determine Limitations

ISSUE WARNO
-Restraints: what can’t be done
-Constraints: something you must
do

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 MCPP REFERENCE GUIDES
“We should think of planning as a learning
process—as mental preparation which improves our
understanding of a situation. In its simplest terms,
planning is thinking before doing.”
-MCDP 5 Planning

The Gazette, in collaboration with the MAGTF Staff Training Program, will
present a series of six Reference Guides covering insights and best practices for
employing the steps of the Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP). The Guides
are for the use of our readers and members of the MCA&F and will be available
for members to download at

www.mca-marines.org/gazette/MCPP_guides

Step One Step Two

Problem Framing Course of Action Development

The purpose of problem framing is to gain an enhanced August Issue
understanding of the environment and the nature of the
problem. This greater understanding allows a commander
to visualize the operation and describe his conceptual
approach, providing context for the examination of what
the command must accomplish, when and where it must
be done, and most importantly, why—the purpose of the
operation.

Since no amount of subsequent planning can solve a

problem insufficiently understood, framing the problem is
critical. To achieve this understanding, problem framing
requires both the judgment of synthesis and the systematic
study of analysis. Accordingly, problem framing consists of a
commander-driven design effort supported by staff actions.

MCWP 5-10 Marine Corps Planning Process

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 THE MARINE CORPS PLANNING PROCESS
STEP TWO: Course of Action Development

Activities
KEY INPUTS Establish battlespace framework KEY RESULTS
Design and Staff Actions Array forces (friendly, adversary, population) COA graphic & narrative
Operational Approach Assign purpose and then tasks for each Refined IPB and intelligence
subordinate element products
Approved Mission
Statement Task organize Planning support tools
-DST/DSM/Synch Matrix
Commander’s Intent Sequence actions to achieve the mission
Estimates of Supportability
Commander’s COA Divide operation into phases
Development Guidance Staff estimates
Integrate activities across time and space
Commander’s Wargaming
Establish control measures Guidance and Evaluation Criteria
Present COA Development brief to Updated WARNO
Commander

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 COA DEVELOPMENT
Purpose: Develop one or more options for accomplishing the mission
in accordance with the commander’s operational approach

Operational Approach Activities

-Commander’s Intent 1. Establish Battlespace Framework 6. Sequencing
-Commander’s COA Guidance -Organize the battlespace -Arrangement of actions to
•Types of Operations •spatial/functional achieve the mission
•Forms of Maneuver •deep, close, rear
•COG* Analysis •decisive, shaping, sustaining 7. Phasing
•Battlespace Framework -Organize the force
•Influence & Deception Activities •Main effort, supporting effort, -Divide operations into phases
•Risk Guidance reserve, security
8. Develop COA Graphic and
2. Array Initial Forces Narrative and Synch Matrix
-Determine RCPA* required to
accomplish task 9. Establish Control Measures
COA Criteria -Array forces starting with decisive
operations and continuing with 10. Rough Cut COA Brief
shaping and sustaining operations
1. Feasible: Accomplishes -Rough Task Organization
3. Assign Purpose and Then Tasks -Rough COA Graphic and
mission with the available time, Narrative
space, and resources -What is necessary to accomplish
2. Acceptable: Worth the cost mission? 11. COA Refinement
3. Suitable: Accomplishes the 4. Convert Generic Units to -Develop supporting concepts
task and purpose Specific Units
4. Distinguishable: COAs differ 12. Conduct COA Development
from each other 5. Task Organize
5. Complete: Addresses all the -Structure and resource the force 13. Commander’s Wargaming
tasks to conduct operations Guidance Evaluation Criteria
-Establish command and support
relationships
*COG: Center Of Gravity
**RCPA: Relative Combat Power Analysis

20180626_MCPP_7.625x5.indd 2 6/26/18 4:42 PM

 MCPP REFERENCE GUIDES
“We should think of planning as a learning
process—as mental preparation which improves our
understanding of a situation. In its simplest terms,
planning is thinking before doing.”
—MCDP 5, Planning

The Gazette, in collaboration with the MAGTF Staff Training Program, will
present a series of six Reference Guides covering insights and best practices for
employing the steps of the Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP). The Guides
are for the use of our readers and members of the MCA&F and will be available
for members to download at

www.mca-marines.org/gazette/MCPP_guides

Step Two Step Three

Course of Action Development Course of Action Wargaming

Course of action (COA) development leads to one or September Issue
more options for how the mission and commander’s
intent might be accomplished in accordance with the
commander’s understanding as a result of the design
effort that began during problem framing.
Planners develop broad COAs considering a number of
factors, including mission, enemy, terrain and weather,
troops and support available-time available (METT-T);
adversary versus friendly capabilities assessment; civilian
and cultural considerations; and possible employment
options.
Planners should not judge or eliminate initial or “rough-
cut” COAs; all possibilities are recorded for consideration
in order to provide the commander with a variety of
options.
—MCWP 5-1, Marine Corps Planning Process

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 THE MARINE CORPS PLANNING PROCESS
STEP THREE: Course of Action War Game

KEY INPUTS KEY RESULTS

COA graphic & narrative Identified branches and sequels
Planning support tools Activities Refined IPB and intelligence
products
Estimates of Assign War Game billets
supportability Refined staff estimates
Collect documents and tools
Staff estimates Refined estimates of
Select War Game technique supportability
Commander’s
wargaming guidance Conduct COA War Game Approved COAs for comparison
and evaluation criteria and decision
Record COA War Game results
Comparison criteria/guidance
Refine staff estimates, estimates
of supportability, and supporting
concepts
Present War Game brief

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 COA War Games
Purpose Activities
To Improve the Plan
1. Organize for Wargaming Civilian Reaction
1. Validate COAs by testing each COA l Describe actions of other actors
2. Gather documents and tools in the OE*
against a thinking adversary Counteraction
2. Improve each COA 3. Select a War Game technique l Identify additional actions and

3. Evaluate strengths and weaknesses 4. Conduct a War Game resources required

l Modify COA as necessary
of each COA
4. Better understand the problem -Roll call
-Orientation to the War Game board 5. Record and display War
and environment -Commander’s War Game guidance
-Confirm task organization two
Game results
levels down -War Game worksheet
-Review CCIRs and assumptions -Synchronization Matrix
Inputs -Review critical events to be war
gamed
6. Assess the War Game results
-Identify war game method to be
utilized
lCommander’s Wargaming guidance -Red/Green cells brief their COAs to
l Commander’s evaluation criteria be war gamed
l IPB products -Review rules of War Game
l Planning support tools -Execution of turns
Action
l Describe operations to all friendly

units
l Describe the mission/tasks

War Game Techniques l Describe the desired outcome

Reaction
l Describe operations of all friendly

l Key Events or Sequence of Critical units

l Describe probable outcome of
Tasks contact
l Avenue in Depth

l Belt

l Box *OE: Operating Environment

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 MCPP REFERENCE GUIDES
“We should think of planning as a learning
process—as mental preparation which improves our
understanding of a situation. In its simplest terms,
planning is thinking before doing.”
—MCDP 5, Planning

The Gazette, in collaboration with the MAGTF Staff Training Program, will
present a series of six Reference Guides covering insights and best practices for
employing the steps of the Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP). The Guides
are for the use of our readers and members of the MCA&F and will be available
for members to download at

www.mca-marines.org/gazette/MCPP_guides

Step Three Step Four

Course of Action Wargaming Course of Action

The purpose of COA wargaming … is to improve the plan. Comparison and Decision
It examines and refines the option(s) in light of adversary October Issue
capabilities and potential actions/reactions as well as
other factors peculiar to the operational environment,
such as the local population and how it may respond to
friendly and adversary interactions … Whether conducted
formally as a disciplined, interactive process or informally
through a simple “what if” conversation between the
commander and staff, wargaming relies heavily on the
operational judgment and experience of the participants
… A continuation of design, the process of COA
wargaming contributes to a better understanding of the
environment and the problem.

—MCWP 5-10, Marine Corps Planning Process

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 THE MARINE CORPS PLANNING PROCESS
STEP FOUR: COA Comparison and Decision

KEY INPUTS
•Updated IPB products
•Updated, complete COAs
•COA war game worksheet
•COA evaluation worksheet
•Resource shortfalls
KEY RESULTS
•Updated CCIRs Approved COA
•Decision Support
Template & Decision Guidance for branches and
Support Matrix sequels
•Branches and sequels
identified for further Activities Updated WARNO
planning
Evaluate COAs against
Commander’s Evaluation Criteria
Compare COAs
Commander’s Decision

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 COA Comparison And Decision
Purpose
For the Commander to evaluate all friendly COAs against established criteria, then compare each COA
against each other, and decide which COA best accomplishes the mission.

1 2 3
Evaluate Course of Action Compare Courses of Action Commander’s Decision
The separate evaluation of each to each other The Commander selects the course
COA against the Cmdr’s Evaluation of action that best accomplishes the
The comparison of each COA to mission. There are four options:
Criteria with special consideration to each other using the advantages,
advantages, disadvantages, and risk. •Select
disadvantages, and risks developed •Modify
in the evaluation step. •New
•Discard

4 5
Potential Evaluation Criteria
Refine the Concept of Operations Update the Warning Order Principles of war
The concept of operations is a Limitation of casualties
The Warning Order allows Exploitation of the adversary’s
general description of actions to be subordinates to continue concurrent weaknesses/friendly strengths
taken and a generic organization for planning. Population considerations
combat that serves as the basis for Opportunity for maneuver
supporting concepts, functional or Concentration on combat power
detailed Planning, and branch and Speed
Sequel planning. Supportability
Political considerations
Force protection
Risk assessment

PocketGuide_4.indd 2 9/5/18 10:33 AM

 MCPP REFERENCE GUIDES
“We should think of planning as a learning
process—as mental preparation which improves our
understanding of a situation. In its simplest terms,
planning is thinking before doing.”
—MCDP 5, Planning

The Gazette, in collaboration with the MAGTF Staff Training Program, will
present a series of six Reference Guides covering insights and best practices for
employing the steps of the Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP). The Guides
are for the use of our readers and members of the MCA&F and will be available
for members to download at

www.mca-marines.org/gazette/MCPP_guides

Step Four Step Five

Course of Action Comparison and Decision Orders Development

During COA comparison and decision ... the commander November Issue
evaluates each friendly COA against established criteria,
compares them with each other, and selects the COA he
believes will best accomplish the mission. ... Using his
evaluation criteria, the commander leads ... a discussion Problem
Framing
about the relative merits of each COA. The staff records
the advantages and disadvantages for each. ... The Transition
Course of Action
COA comparison provides the commander with an Development

understanding of the relative merit of each COA. ... The

commander compares the COAs against one another
Design
using the results of the COA evaluation. ... This step Orders
Development
Course of Action
Wargaming
requires the involvement of the commander, subordinate
commanders, and their staffs from start to finish. Course of Action
Comparison &
Decision

—MCWP 5-10, Marine Corps Planning Process

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 THE MARINE CORPS PLANNING PROCESS
STEP FIVE: ORDERS DEVELOPMENT

PURPOSE
The Orders Development Step translates the commander’s decision into
oral, written, and graphic direction sufficient to guide subordinate planning,
execution, and initiative.

KEY INPUTS KEY RESULTS

Approved COA Approved order or plan
CONOPS ACTIVITIES Planning support tools
-Refine the Concept of Operations
-Prepare the order or plan
-Orders reconciliation
-Orders crosswalk
-Approve the order or plan

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 ORDERS DEVELOPMENT
Activities
-Refine the Concept of Operations: Types of Combat Orders
Refined staff estimates and IPB products
from the approved COA allow planners Operations Order (OPORD)
and supporting staff sections to proceed A directive issued by a commander to subordinate
with functional and detailed planning. commanders for the purpose of effecting the
coordinated execution of an operation.
-Prepare the order or plan: The CoS or
XO dictates the format for the order, Fragmentary Order (FRAGO)
sets and enforces the time limits and
development sequence, and assigns An abbreviated form of an operation order issued as
responsibility for annex development to needed after an operation order to change or modify
the appropriate staff sections. that order or to execute a branch or sequel to that order.

Warning Order (WARNO)

-Orders reconciliation: An internal
process during which the staff conducts A preliminary notice of an order or action that is to
a detailed review of the entire order follow.

-Orders crosswalk: An external process Execute Order

in which the staff compares its order An order to subordinates that directs them to execute
with the order of higher, adjacent, and existing orders or plans and conveys guidance not
subordinate commanders to achieve provided in earlier instructions.
unity of effort and ensure the superior
commander’s intent is met.

-Approve the order or plan:

Commander’s signature

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 MCPP REFERENCE GUIDES
“We should think of planning as a learning
process—as mental preparation which improves our
understanding of a situation. In its simplest terms,
planning is thinking before doing.”
—MCDP 5, Planning

The Gazette, in collaboration with the MAGTF Staff Training Program, will
present a series of six Reference Guides covering insights and best practices for
employing the steps of the Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP). The Guides
are for the use of our readers and members of the MCA&F and will be available
for members to download at

www.mca-marines.org/gazette/MCPP_guides

Step Five Step Six

Orders Development Transition

The purpose of orders development is to translate the December Issue
commander’s decision into oral, written, and/or graphic
communication sufficient to guide implementation and
promote initiative by subordinates ... Orders appear
in a variety of forms, ranging from detailed, written
documents with numerous annexes to simple verbal
commands ... When writing plans or orders, words matter
... A good order is judged on its usefulness—not its size ...
The orders development step in the MCPP communicates
the commander’s decision in a clear useful form that can
be understood by those executing the order.

—MCWP 5-10, Marine Corps Planning Process

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 THE MARINE CORPS PLANNING PROCESS
STEP SIX: TRANSITION

KEY INPUTS
Approved order or plan
Planning support tools
IPB and intelligence products

Successful
transition enhances
ACTIVITIES the situational
understanding of
-Transition brief those who will execute
-Transition events (rehearsals, drills exercises, briefs) the order, reinforces
-Confirmation briefs the intent of the
commander, promotes
unity of effort, and
generates tempo.

KEY RESULTS
Subordinate commanders and
staff ready to execute the order
Ongoing development of plan for
branches and sequels

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 TRANSITION
Transition Briefs
(Future to Current Ops, HHQ to lower)
-Internal transition is when the planning staff moves its plan
to execution (Future Operations to Current Operations)
-External transition occurs between the commander and
subordinate commanders

Transition Events

Confirmation Brief
(Subordinate to HQ)

Transition Event Options

-Map brief
-Terrain model brief
-Communications exercise
-Rehearsal of concept drill
-Combined Arms rehearsal
-Key leader rehearsal
-Reduced force rehearsal
-Full dress rehearsal

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 MCPP REFERENCE GUIDES
“We should think of planning as a learning
process—as mental preparation which improves our
understanding of a situation. In its simplest terms,
planning is thinking before doing.”
—MCDP 5, Planning

In 2019 the Gazette, in collaboration with the MAGTF Staff Training Program, will be
presenting additional Reference Guides covering various aspects of planning, execution,
Joint Operations, and Warfighting Functions.

Step Six
Transition
Transition may involve a wide range of briefs, drills, or
rehearsals necessary to ensure a successful shift from
The complete set of 6 MCPP
planning to execution... At a minimum, this step includes
CONOPS brief along with the handover and explanation Reference Guides is available
of any execution tools developed during planning, such for our readers and members to
as a decision support matrix or an execution checklist... download at
Transition is a continuous process that requires a free
flow of information between commanders and staffs www.mca-marines.org/gazette/
by all available means... Transition occurs at all levels MCPP_guides
of command. A formal transition normally occurs on
staffs with separate planning and execution teams.
For transition to occur, an approved order or plan
must exist... Regardless of the level of command, a
successful transition ensures those who execute the order
understand the commander’s intent, the CONOPS, and
any planning tools.

—MCWP 5-10, Marine Corps Planning Process

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