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Culture & Language Experiences in Iraq

International Workshop on

Usability and Biometrics

June 2008

Peter T. Higgins

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Topics

Project Outline Initial Contacts Deployment issues System language issues Bottom Line

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Project Outline

DEPSECDEF wanted to help identify Iraqis as part of a classic anti-insurgent strategy - 2004

Army took lead for a rapid purchase and deployment of an AFIS

Schedule did not permit: End user interviews Language tailoring

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Initial Contacts

In spite of critical war time need - one vendor protested at least 4 times Changed schedule from 10 weeks to 10 weeks

spread over 7 plus months Project personnel met with Iraqis while they

visited US Got strong feedback from charts used to brief

bidders Separate criminal and civil workflows and data -

privacy

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Initial Contracts

Met the Iraqi delegation in LA Only to learn that they did not know they

could not visit Motorola Factory due to protests

Could not understand role of lawyers

Took them to Anaheim PD and LA County Sheriff’s Department Surprised at crime rates

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Deployment Issues

The 10 weeks plus a month in transit led several fingerprint examiners to apply for transfers General Thalmer visit General Adnon visit

Electric components purchased on the local market - high risk

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Sample of Challenge

Copper wire bypasses fuse

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Deployment Issue

Oversight Committee - screening for former criminals applying for trusted positions Balance “police” and “OPM” Installed some of their own people “inside” Weekly meetings with US Army & police Wanted ownership of system or a second system Later on - PM’s Office asked for sample law to

authorize national ID card system - privacy concerns

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System Language Issues

Initial deployment of ~500 portable livescans ran into numerous language issues Turned off edit checks - still paying for that -

rippled into AFIS edit checking AFIS Vendor Livescans

Army trained language expert challenged with technical terms

Testing required integration of Arabic speaker into team

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System Language Issues

AFIS Latent Case Management (LCM) Initial reaction - we can’t use English in court

cases - will not use LCM features After we delivered LCM in Arabic - we don’t need

that, we’re professional fingerprint experts - we work in English

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Bottom Line

System a major success Iraqis own it and operate it

Lesson learned from Russian experience

Developing good English skills

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Contact InformationPeter T. Higgins

Higgins-Hermansen-Banikas, LLC Reston Town Center 1818 Library Street, 5th Floor Reston, VA 20190 

1-703-956-3004 (VA Office)1-202-438-6611 (Cell) - best bet!peter.higgins@thehhb.com www.thehhb.com