On the Integration of Cognitive Work Analysis within a Multisource Information Fusion Development Methodology

Abstract

This research explored the means by which methods in cognitive engineering, namely, work domain analysis, could be used to provide input to the development of advanced information processing, or multisensor information fusion, algorithms. Specifically, a work domain analysis of an emergency management environment (in a post-earthquake context) was performed, and linked abstraction hierarchy models representing the emergency management and response system, the physical environment (e.g., buildings, transportation systems, civilians), and other goal directed agents (e.g., civilian responders and volunteers) were created. Outputs from that analysis (information requirements) were input to the design of the information processing algorithms, providing guidance as to the nature of information required by decision makers, which could be computed through fusion capabilities. This ongoing work thus presents an example of an integrated cognitive engineering/multisensor fusion methodology.