Un-Muddling Homeland Security: Design Principles for National Security in a Complex World

Abstract

Professor Demchak criticizes the current Homeland Security Agency proposal as a convenient piling together of overstretched small agencies. After identifying principles appropriate for designing complex systems, she then applies these principles for strategies to strengthen U.S. domestic security. She recommends developing an “Atrium” of information, or a semi-living database that captures, creates and shares knowledge across agencies rapidly. Such a system would also be capable of mitigating "rogue outcomes" that cannot be known beforehand under any circumstances. She closes by providing guidelines to assess progress in implementing these strategies.

Recommended Citation

Demchak, Chris C. (2002) "Un-Muddling Homeland Security: Design Principles for National Security in a Complex World," The Forum: Vol. 1 : Iss. 2, Article 2.
DOI: 10.2202/1540-8884.1007
Available at: http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol1/iss2/art2