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(U//FOUO) The Two Faces of SOD -- Time for a Name Change!
FROM:
Chief, Reporting Board (S12A)
Run Date: 11/30/2004
(U//FOUO) SIGINT-On-Demand has a personality disorder! It doesn't know whether it is a tool
or a product or both. Having the same name for the tool that we use to produce the SIGINT-On
Demand (SOD) item and the resulting SOD product is confusing to customers, the users of the
information, and to us, the users and developers of the tool. To end the confusion, we're
changing the analyst's piece to the Content Preparation Environment (CPE).
(U//FOUO) Doing so will make it easier for us to differentiate between the CPE's broad range of
functions and SOD the product. The CPE has also been assigned the covername SPELLBINDER.
This name will be used primarily for accreditation purposes and internal communications.
(U//FOUO) Is it a name-only change? No, there really is a difference. As the CPE evolves,
analysts will be able to prepare ANY information in this space -- from traditional text to
multimedia, ORCON, GAMMA, technical information, and even products from the IAD and the
newly-established NTAC. The first steps in this evolution are being prototyped. We're testing the
use of MS Word within the CPE and recently incorporated the ability to attach multimedia
information. In the longer term, we envision an analyst will create responses to Research
Information Needs (RIN) within the CPE and, with only a click or two, deliver these responses to
customers as RIN responses AND formally disseminate the information as a regular product.
(U//FOUO) So, what does that mean for SOD the product? For now, a SOD item is the only
product/format choice available in the CPE. However, now that SOD items are sent via
subscription AND via Criticom to a canned distribution, a number of production elements use
SOD much like an EGRAM. In the future, SOD will simply be one of many CPE product choices
when you prepare information for dissemination. The goal is to transparently streamline the
ways analysts prepare and disseminate information.
(U//FOUO) We'll be providing regular updates on the Content Preparation Environment. Our plan
is to rollout new capabilities every 6-8 weeks; the next roll out is scheduled for January 2005.
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108