Enhancing Detection of Essential Elements of Information (EEI) through Structured Analytic Techniques (SAT) and Visual Network Text Analysis to Augment Decision-Making Outcomes: An Analytic Hierarchy Approach
Abstract
Implementing an appropriate analytical approach has the potential to augment and enhance the decision-making process for military analysts within an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) environment leading to high confident, future recommendations. Currently, there is not a standardized approach when processing complex, military scenarios. Moreover, structured analytic techniques (SAT) coupled with information workflow methodologies have been shown to improve critical thinking and logical reasoning during decision-making, even when confronted with ill-defined intelligence. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of SATs as a decision-support tool by correlating identified essential elements of information (EEI) with solution accuracy through visual network text analysis. The study consisted of 150 participants who were randomly assigned to one of two SATs with intelligence information provided in either incremental or complete sections. The SATs included a method for defining analytical questions (MDAQ), a scaffolding approach, and a control condition. The findings indicate that providing participants with the MDAQ approach significantly enhanced EEI detection and solution accuracy compared to scaffolding and control. This discovery provides underlying evidence that implementing a MDAQ approach as a decision-support tool has the potential to enhance critical thinking and relational EEI correlation resulting in improved performance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 20, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1198886
Entities
People
- Anna Maresca
- Bradley Schlessman
- Justin M. Nelson
- Mary D Frame
- Samantha Perry
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory