This handbook describes operational design and its interaction with joint operation planning. It is based partly on joint doctrine contained in JP 5-0, Joint Operation Planning, and JP 2-01.3, Joint Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment, but it provides more details on operational design than currently exist in these publications. The handbook also highlights “best practices” derived from Service, joint, and multinational operations and joint exercises. In particular, this handbook increases the depth of discussion on operational design by incorporating new design-related ideas developed and refined in Service and joint academic institutions during the past three years.