The Joint Knowledge Development and Distribution Capability (JKDDC) Interim Distribution Capability (IDC)

From concept through release, CTC helped lead the Joint Knowledge Development and Distribution (JKDDC) Interim Distribution Capability (IDC) effort, which is the first phase of a global distribution capability that transforms the way essential knowledge is delivered to the joint warfighting community.  Using JKDDC IDC, military and civilian DoD personnel can access mission-critical joint and educational content through a single portal.  This achievement is recognized as an important and much-needed milestone in service to the joint forces.

The JKDDC Joint Management Office (JMO) was established 1 August 2003, by the Joint Staff/J-7, and the CTC-managed facility is considered an off-site of the Joint Staff.   The JMO staff includes a government civilian director and CTC employees who provide unbiased expertise in content development, knowledge distribution, and advanced education and training concepts.  CTC also manages the contracted facility and provides full network support.

Technology to Meet Joint Force Needs

Current and future joint forces must leverage a multi-dimensional skill set that enables them to think and act jointly.  The DoD Training Transformation initiative’s JKDDC facilitates individual mastery of joint operational art by melding Service capabilities into an inherently joint force.

CTC developed an Internet-based training system that provides joint personnel with global access to this critical knowledge.  JKDDC’s state-of-the-art distance-learning courses address specific combat commander training needs.  Requirements for joint knowledge content come directly from combat commands to address their most important joint training and education needs.  Now, DoD personnel have the education and training resources they need anytime, anywhere.

With the JKDDC, individuals can increase their knowledge of joint operations in a given region through a distributed network . . . DoD civilians can receive just-in-time, rapidly assembled content before their first overseas assignments . . . and warfighters on the battlefield have access to necessary joint knowledge using wireless devices.

All content developed under the JKDDC initiative will be Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM®) 2004 conformant.  This will enable robust search and discovery of knowledge to support just-in-time training and enable content to be reused for different instructional needs.  CTC helped pioneer the SCORM and is an expert in its applications.

The Architecture

The JKDDC distribution architecture, illustrated below, is designed to allow learners a single point of entry, regardless of Service or agency affiliation, location, delivery device, or connectivity medium.  By logging into the JKDDC portal, a user’s account is authenticated and directed to an appropriate learning management system (LMS).  For example, an Army user would access JKDDC content through the existing Army Training Infrastructure (ATIA), but the link to this system is invisible to the Army user.  Once logged into the JKDDC portal, learners can access information from a repository of joint training and education content.  This joint knowledge is tailored and packaged for each learner based on past performance, assignment, and learning style.  As learning objects are retrieved, metrics are recorded. Information regarding the learner’s progress and completion of each learning module is captured for future incorporation into the personnel records of the appropriate organization.

A more detailed description of the JKDDC distribution architecture is available at www.jkddcjmo.org, where you can also learn about the ways in which JKDDC is empowering the joint warfighter.