A Team Cognitive Readiness Framework for Small-Unit Training

Abstract

The modern battlefield is characterized by a need to mitigate the effects of creative tactics by insurgent enemies. At the small-unit level, this need requires coordination by team members highly proficient in battle drills and immediate actions. Furthermore, these teams must demonstrate a facility in adaptive decision making and flexible action execution to effectively respond to threats. At issue is whether current training theory can appropriately support this need to enable teams that are not only procedurally ready but also cognitively ready. In this article, the authors provide a theoretical framework meant to guide the development of training for team cognitive readiness (TCR). Beginning with perceptual processing and cue recognition, elevating to problem solving and decision making, and scaling up to complex coordinative processes, TCR requires a comprehensive theoretical framework capable of addressing the varied processes and performance demands at the small-unit level. In service of this need, the authors provide a framework to improve the understanding of, and to improve adaptive coordination in, teamwork in dynamic environments.