The Monitoring and Verification Continuum: Developing the Technological Toolbox, and Challenges for Technology Developers

There does not exist a one - size fits all approach to m onitoring and v erification, with well - defined parameters , expectations , and technology solutions . Instead, a verification environment will be reflective of a widely varying set of relational influences dependent upon the parties involved, the relationship between the parties, differences in concerns relating to information security and sensitivity , and the specific objectives of different agreements . In si mple terms, monitoring and verification approaches lie on a continuum ranging from highly intrusive/high confidence to minimally intrusive/ minimum acceptable level of confidence , with a multitude of variations between . This means for the purpose of techno logy development , that the monitoring and verification environment is dynamic, and there will be varying restrictions and requirements which may not be known ahead of time. Therefore, i t is important to develop a broad toolbox of technology capabilities, approaches and solutions which can be brought together in a customized manner or developed in direct response to specific circumstances, to address the many potential variances in monitoring and verification regimes . T echnolog y capabilities, approaches and solutions should span the range of possible monitoring and verification regime requirements . D etailed measurement and analysis capabilities , for example, may be important in some scenarios , whereas basic functionality and limited output may be sufficient for others . This paper will explore the technological continuum across the monitoring and verification space, and discuss the potential challenges associated with variances in technology complexity versus confidence.