Sensemaking in the Battlespace: An Innovative Human-System Paradigm for Combat Systems

The Navy is taking revolutionary actions to redesign itself to take advantage of developments in information technology, such as automated systems. This project will explore the feasibility of developing a tool for enhancing operators' situation assessmentin an environment characterized by increased use of automation and reduced manning. Our Phase I effort will provide the functional architecture and initial proof of concept for the design of a management tool that is based on the requirements for ahuman-machine team player paradigm and the methodology for enhancing operators' situation assessment. Utilizing the Data/Frame model of sensemaking, Klein Associates will design a methodology that formalizes the process by which operators make sense ofsituations and how they develop situation awareness over time in an SMC environment. Once we have achieved those objectives, we will be ready to iteratively design, develop, and test an interface prototype using our decision-centered design strategy. Theoutcomes of this project will serve as an exemplar of how to design combat systems on future Navy ships.