Team Performance and Communication within Networked Supervisory Control Human-Machine Systems

Abstract

The effects of task load, automation reliability and team communication on supervisory control performance were examined using a multi-UAV simulation with two operators. Performance was degraded by high task load and improved with an automated decision aid. In addition, team working memory, defined as the average of individual working memory capacity scores, was associated with superior team performance. Higher levels of task load increased the amount of information communicated by teams whereas the presence of an automated decision aid decreased the amount of information communicated by teams. The results are discussed in relation to models of team cognition for teams performing similar tasks in a shared, networked human-machine system.

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