Accessing information, sharing knowledge, and collaborating among partners are critical for success in any organization, but in particular for the national security system. Actions and decisions have direct consequences for the entire nation. Most organizations experience a challenge in sharing information and knowledge and in achieving appropriate data flow across organizations. However, within the national security community, the ability to perform these functions is practically nonexistent.  As security challenges become more complex, involve an ever-increasing array of partners, and take place within compressed timelines, attaining improved flow of information and knowledge becomes even more critical. To meet the security needs of the 21st century, we must be able to share knowledge, information and data within the National Security Staff, across the interagency, with other government partners (i.e., state, local, tribal, and territorial), and with nontraditional partners -- both anticipated and unanticipated.  As stated by the “father of the Internet,” Vint Cerf of Google, “Information isn’t power, information sharing is power.”

PNSR has initiated work in three key areas to achieve this goal: an online, real time collaboration environment, a knowledge based organization, and an information sharing culture. These focus areas are interdependent and must be pursued in conjunction with each other rather than sequentially or separately.  Together they provide the critical path to reaching a new horizon – one in which intellectual capital is prized, information is shared, knowledge is extended and collaboration is demanded.