Adaptive Soldiers: Overcoming Obstacles Imposed by New Technology

Abstract

The Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2) is the principal digital command and control (C2) system for the Army at echelons below brigade. It integrates communications, weapons, and sensor systems to disseminate C2 messages and provides a visual display of a common operational picture. Thirty Soldiers returning from recent deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq participated in user testing that integrated several conventional user feedback techniques into a single test session, which is referred to as a RECON test. Soldiers demonstrated how they had used the system by “RECONstructing” activities that they had performed in a combat environment, while answering questions chosen to reveal environmental, situational, and operational factors at play. They also completed questionnaires and responded to system-directed interview questions. Data analysis revealed that lack of training and a host of usability issues were overcome by developing adaptive behaviors. These behaviors provide insight into how issues can be mitigated through system design.