A Framework for the Development of an Improved Tactical Symbology
Abstract
The utility of symbology would be increased by making it more compatible with current and emergent tactical doctrine. A structured method based on a role-playing exercise was developed for eliciting graphically related tactical information requirements from experienced military tacticians. The method, involving a 2-stage elicitation process, uses doctrinally-sanctioned information-processing guidelines to prompt participants to generate task- related tactical questions (e.g., What is the principal deficiency of a specific enemy unit?) and candidate answers (e.g., mobility, personnel). A pilot test used two experienced staff officers and a European defensive scenario. The numerous question and answer sets obtained were organized into 22 clusters (i.e. , data structures), with each one specifying questions in decreasing order of detail according to a common tactical theme (e.g., immediate threat, enemy vulnerability, priority targets). These data structures represent categories of task-based information requirements which can serve as potential building blocks in the development of a dynamic, flexible database for tactical symbology. The framework also contains a preliminary analysis of symbol design effectiveness based on a taxonomy of basic information-processing behaviors, which include symbol discrimination, display search, and symbol learnability.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA076017
Entities
People
- Donald S. Ciccone
- James B. Channon
- Michael G. Samet