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Abstract

There is considerable evidence from Computer-Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW) research that groupware applications can change the process of cooperative planning and can help teams plan more effectively. This research seeks to improve our understanding of the relationship between pre-mission planning and the subsequent performance of command and control (C2) teams. This may foster the development of theory-motivated interventions to support improved planning and validation of human-performance measurement methods in team settings. We studied the effects of planning medium (i.e., paper map versus shared electronic whiteboard) and team organizational structure (i.e., functional versus divisional) on the ability of C2 teams to develop effective pre-mission plans and on their resulting performance using a team-in-the-loop simulation. Findings suggested that the groupware condition fostered collaborative planning behaviors. The results also indicated that teams who used the electronic whiteboard for planning enjoyed a performance advantage over those teams who planned using a paper map and markers.

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Does Planning Using Groupware Foster Coordinated Team Performance?

Abstract

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References