Loose Couplers as an Information
Design Strategy
June 2007
Dr. Robert W. Miller, The MITRE Corporation
Daniel G. Winkowski, The MITRE Corporation
ABSTRACT
Net-Centric operations are predicated upon loose
coupling among participants. Existing approaches to
loose coupling have focused on the information and
network interfaces, not on information design
methodology. Cursor on Target has been described as a
loose coupler that provides a strategy to exchange a
minimal amount of structured, high impact information in
a variety of use cases among battlefield participants. In
this paper we provide an in-depth analysis of the loose
coupler concept. We define a loose coupler as an
information object design that optimizes data utilization
(production and consumption) among a community of
independent participants while globally minimizing costs
(development and employment). Local efficiencies of
point-to-point information design yield to the greater
global efficiencies of the information environment in
which a loose coupler operates. We investigate data
sharing usage patterns and infospace environments
within and across communities of interest and use these
to identify characteristics of loose coupler design. We
provide examples of loose couplers in both commercial
and military environments. A loose coupler design
methodology is discussed and we suggest opportunities
for further research in this area.
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