Using Pathfinder to Generate Communication Networks in a Cognitive Task Analysis

Abstract

As part of a cognitive task analysis performed in the initial design stage of developing an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operations center, we used Pathfinder to generate communication networks based on four subject matter experts' (SMEs') understanding of the typical communications that occur in different task scenarios (i.e., a strike operation versus a non-strike operation). SMEs provided ratings on three dimensions of communication for each pair of ten team members. Dimensions were 1) importance, 2) volume, and 3) diversity of communications. We developed two methods for merging the ratings of importance and volume into a single network in order to simultaneously represent both dimensions. This application of Pathfinder has allowed us to 1) quantify the extent to which the SMEs conceptualize communications in the same way and 2) generate surrogate communication networks when it is impossible to monitor actual communications.