Experimental Interrogation of Network Simulation Models of Human Task and Workload Performance in a U. S. Army Tactical Operations Center

This thesis research is involved with the development of new methodologies for enhancing the experimental use of computer simulations to optimize predicted human performance in a work domain. Using a computer simulation called Computer modeling Of Human Operator System Tasks (CoHOST) to test the concepts in this research, methods are developed that are used to establish confidence limits and significance thresholds by having the computer model self report its limits. These methods. along with experimental designs that are tailored to the use of computer simulation instead of human subject based research, are used in the CoHOST simulation to investigate the U.S. Army battalion level command and control work domain during combat conditions and develop recommendations about that domain based on the experimental use of CoHOST with these methodologies. Further, with the realization that analytical results showing strictly numerical data do not always satisfy the need for understanding by those who could most benefit from the analysis. the results are further interpreted in accordance with a team performance model and the CoHOST analysis results are mapped to it according to macroergonomic and team performance concepts. The CoHOST computer simulation models were developed based on Army needs stemming from the Persian Gulf war. They examined human mental and physical performance capabilities resulting from the introduction of a new command and control vehicle with modernized digital communications systems. Literature searches and background investigations were conducted. and the CoHOST model architecture was developed that was based on a taxonomy of human performance. A computer simulation design was implemented with these taxonomic based descriptors of human performance in the military command and control domain using the commercial programming language MicroSaint(TM).Army Research Lab Aberdeen Proving Ground is the author of 'Experimental Interrogation of Network Simulation Models of Human Task and Workload Performance in a U. S. Army Tactical Operations Center', published 2001 under ISBN 9781423526957 and ISBN 1423526953.