CADE — Combined Arms Decision Exercise

CADE shows how a team thinks under pressure. I developed the first executable version in one week; it has now run three times with about 19 participants per session.

Key Design Decisions

Use AI as the production engine, not the design authority

Reasoning

AI made speed possible, but the exercise required human judgment to define the training problem, approve source material, set success criteria, and decide what changed after execution.

Alternatives considered
  • Let AI generate the exercise structure directly
  • Use AI only for editing and formatting

Anchor all products to OPORD-quality source truth

Reasoning

A single authoritative scenario layer reduced drift across orders, turn materials, controller prompts, and review products.

Alternatives considered
  • Allow each artifact to evolve independently
  • Use loose narrative summaries as the source layer

Move from fragmented runtime artifacts to a unified Controller Package

Reasoning

Controllers need fast, reliable access under pressure. Consolidating execution logic, role aids, decision prompts, and review structure made the framework more portable.

Alternatives considered
  • Keep the runbook as the center of gravity
  • Use separate support products for each controller function

Use deterministic adjudication bands tied to observable behavior

Reasoning

Controller-to-controller variance weakens outcome credibility. Observable bands reduce discretionary drift while preserving human oversight.

Alternatives considered
  • Let controllers adjudicate primarily by judgment
  • Use fully scripted outcomes detached from staff behavior

Use plain-language and visual-forward delivery

Reasoning

CADE must work when language friction is present. Plain wording and visual aids reduce avoidable misunderstanding without diluting the training logic.

Alternatives considered
  • Keep doctrinal language dense and assume translation will solve it
  • Simplify the exercise itself instead of improving delivery aids