Situation Awareness and Collaborative Tool Usage in Ad Hoc Command and Control Teams

Abstract

This research details findings from Urban Resolve, a large-scale Joint Forces research effort to investigate the impacts of technological solutions on situation awareness (SA) and decision making in ad hoc teams in a military command and control environment. The investigation was conducted using personnel acting as the Joint Force Land Component Command (JFLCC) and supporting Brigade-level staff stationed at Ft. Leavenworth in support of the higher headquarters at the Joint Task Force (JTF) in an urban combat and stability scenario. In the study, participants rated face-to-face communication highest for both routine and critical communications. The tool rated most effective for the development of situation awareness changed across study sessions, with chat in chatroom rated highest in the first and last session, and shared map/shared products folder rated highest in the second session. Results are discussed in the context of developing tools to support shared SA and temporal team performance in ad hoc teams.