From: info[at]dniopensource.org
Date: 28 Aug 2008 04:27:37 -0400
Subject: DNI Open Source Conference 2008: Decision Advantage - The Innovation
Challenge has Begun!
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Guidelines | Entry
Cover Sheet
Special Announcement
The Open Source Innovation Challenge
We are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity in conjunction with
the DNI
Open Source Conference 2008:
'The
Open Source Innovation Challenge.' This is a unique occasion for
representatives from academia; think tanks; industry; the media; federal,
state, local, and tribal government; and other diverse sectors to use open
source information to address real intelligence challenges. Subject matter
experts from any field can apply innovative research techniques, thus giving
new insight to the Intelligence Community.
Can you provide the most innovative and relevant answer to the Challenge
questions?
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has provided
two Challenge questions (below) and instructions to all conference registrants.
Those who choose to accept the Challenge can submit a answer for one of the
two challenge questions posed. Entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges
consisting of senior IC representatives. The three entries judged to be the
best answers to Challenge questions will be announced during the opening
plenary session of the DNI Open Source Conference on September 11th and the
answers will be presented at the concluding conference plenary on September
12th. The Challenge is open to all conference registrants, including those
who are not able to attend due to overwhelming registration demand.
Challenge Questions
-
Using the best open sources to inform your answer, is Al Qaeda a cohesive
organization with strong and centralized control, intent and direction?
-
According to open sources, who will be the global leader in alternative fuels
and why?
Challenge Guidelines
-
Challenge Participants and Entries:Entries can be submitted either by individuals
or teams, with no limit to the number of individuals on a team. Teams can
consist of individuals from any number of organizations, rather than
representatives exclusively from a single university, company or organization;
multidisciplinary teams are encouraged. Each person, however, can only enter
the Challenge once - as an individual or part of a team, not both. At least
one member of each team must be a registered conference attendee and entries
from individuals must be submitted by a registered (not necessarily a confirmed)
attendee. Entries should address one of the two Challenge questions proposed;
entries attempting to address both questions will be disqualified.
-
Format: Entries should be prepared as a written report with a supporting
PowerPoint presentation. The report can be no more than 3 pages in length,
using Times New Roman 12 point font, with a page size of 8 ½
x 11 inches; reports longer than 3 pages will be disqualified. The PowerPoint
presentation cannot exceed 6 slides (including an introductory slide). The
report and accompanying PowerPoint presentation must address the following
topics:
-
Challenge- what is the question posed?
-
Issues- what are the main considerations involved in answering the question?
-
Techniques and Tools- were any special methods or resources utilized?
-
Key Judgments- what are the answers to the question posed?
-
Sources- note supporting data and evidence.
-
Evaluation Criteria: Entries will be judged according to the following criteria:
-
Precision: The proposed answer should provide direct and well-supported answers
to the question posed. Entries providing lengthy or interesting ideas not
directly related to the question will not fare well in judging.
-
New Insight: The proposed answer should provide illuminating information.
-
Creativity: The proposed answer should provide creative ideas or employ new
ways of researching and analyzing current issues. Innovative and high quality
sources are expected.
-
Data Visualization: New techniques and creative data visualization approaches
that communicate key judgments and supporting data effectively will fare
well in judging.
-
Sourcing and Use of Open Sources: Challenge entries must be informed only
by open source information. Open source information is defined (per ICD 301)
as 'publically available information that anyone can lawfully obtain by request,
purchase or observation.' All sources must be fully documented and cited.
-
Timeliness: Timeliness of submissions will be a factor in discriminating
between high-quality submissions. Participants are urged to consider balancing
the speed against the quality of their answer; a quick and thorough response
may be better than an exhaustive and time-consuming analysis that reveals
little more.
-
Submission:
-
The Challenge begins when the Challenge questions and rules are distributed
to registrants via email; questions and rules will also be posted on the
conference website at
www.dniopensource.org at approximately
5:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, August 27th, 2008.
-
The Challenge ends promptly at 5:00 EST on September 5th, 2008. No late entries
will be accepted.
-
All entries must be sent electronically via email to info@dniopensource.org.
Entries should consist of:
-
A cover sheet with contact information (does not count against the page limit).
-
A report following format guidelines and addressing evaluation criteria provided
above (Challenge, Issues, Techniques and Tools, Key Judgments and Sources).
-
A PowerPoint presentation to be used at the conference should the entry be
selected for presentation. The PowerPoint presentation must consist of 6
slides (including an introductory slide) following format guidelines and
addressing evaluation criteria.
-
Entries will be time-dated according to submission time. Time of submission
will be a factor in the judges’ decision.
-
Entries selected for presentation will be presented at the DNI Open Source
Conference. Please note that the conference is a public and unclassified
event, with media in attendance.
-
Judging:
-
Three entries will be selected for presentation at the DNI Open Source
Conference.
-
Entrants selected for presentation will be personally notified on Wednesday,
September 10th, 2008. Entries selected for presentation will be announced
publically at the DNI Open Source Conference on September 11th, 2008, and
the entrant (or one representative from each team) will present their answers
at the final conference session on September 12th, 2008.
-
If a selected presentation was entered by a registered attendee who was not
confirmed for conference attendance, the entrant will be confirmed to attend
the full two-day event.
-
No prizes, monetary or otherwise, will be awarded.
-
All activities connected to this Challenge must be undertaken in a lawful
manner. Submissions may not include classified or proprietary information.
Submitters do not have an expectation of privacy in their submissions and
all submissions may be subject to public disclosure. The United States Government
(USG) asserts unlimited rights to the use of the submissions and may retain
the submissions for an indefinite period. Selection to present at the conference
does not confer an expectation of award, compensation, contract, or endorsement
from the ODNI or USG.
The DNI Open Source Innovation Challenge
Entry Cover Sheet
Challenge Participant(s): (Name, Title, Organization)
Entry Lead: (Name, Email, Phone)
Challenge Question Selected:
Email to: info[at]dniopensource.org
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From: info[at]dniopensource.org
Date: 28 Aug 2008 04:17:23 -0400
Subject: DNI Open Source Conference 2008: Decision Advantage - Conference
Reminder
DNI Open Source Conference 2008: Decision Advantage
Conference Reminder
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) thanks you
for your interest in the DNI Open Source Conference 2008: Decision
Advantage at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC, on September
11-12, 2008. If you have not done so yet, please confirm your attendance
by filling out the session selection form. (Instructions can be found in
your original Attendance Confirmation notice). Your feedback is important,
as it aids planners with conference space requirements.
If you are now or in the future will be unable to attend the event, please
notify Event Staff at info[at]dniopensource.com.
Please bring a copy of your Attendance Confirmation Notice with you to the
conference. Be prepared to show your Confirmation Notice and an official
form of photo identification, such as a drivers license, when you check in
for the conference in the Atrium. Check-In will begin each day at 7:00
am in the Atrium on the Concourse level of the Ronald Reagan Building, where
you will receive a name badge and conference folder. Attendees must wear
conference badges at all times; attendees without badges will be turned away
and referred to Check-In. A complimentary continental breakfast will be served
from 7:00-8:00 am. Logistical and transportation information can be found
at: http://www.dniopensource.org.
Also, be sure to visit the Web site for updated information about the agenda
and session speakers.
Please be advised that this conference is a public event, unclassified and
open to the public. All remarks and conversations should be made with this
caveat in mind.
The two-day conference offers numerous panel sessions and keynote presentations
from senior government officials. Confirmed Keynote speakers include Glenn
A. Gaffney, Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Collection; Charles
Allen, Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Homeland
Security; Michael Hayden, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency; and,
James R. Clapper, Jr., Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence.
This year's event features the
Open
Source Innovation Challenge, a unique session where attendees can
present solutions to current intelligence community open source challenges.
Attendees are invited to submit ideas and solutions; winners will be selected
to present their solutions in the final plenary session. The Innovation Challenge
presents an ideal opportunity for private industry, academics, and open source
practitioners to share their ideas before a welcoming audience.
In conjunction with the conference, a commercial exhibition will showcase
open source information and technology vendors and will feature specialized
open source demonstrations. If you think your organization might be interested
in participating, please visit
www.fbcinc.com for more information about
the exhibition and instructions on how to become an Exhibition participant.
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