Empowering the problem solving team through a computer-human partnership
Abstract
This proposal seeks to create a synergistic partnership between humans and computers to solve hard problems in real time under dynamic conditions, problems that people have difficulties or inefficiencies solving on their own, and that require effective and at times creative outcomes. Our approach is to study, model, and implement team problem solving in complex domains, and create computational models of those problem solving processes. The goal is to merge those approaches to find ways of optimizing team problem solving performance via hybrid teams where computers and humans collaborate in meaningful ways derived from empirical and computational approaches. This project will simulate human problem solving and identify specific problem solving characteristics. We then track how people are solving a problem, and determine if they are having difficulties, have gotten “stuck” in solving the problem, or are off track. We then use the power of the computer to guide the humans back on track. However, we also use the computer as a problem solving partner directly to stimulate ways for the human team to overcome their problem solving difficulties. One example, among several to be studied, will be to have the computer propose an appropriate analogy at the right time to shift the problem solving direction. We will use two types of test beds in this work: engineering conceptual design problems and strategic planning problems, difficult cognitive problems that generalize to other problem solving situations. Outcomes of this work will result in deeper understanding of how computers can effectively collaborate with human problem solving teams, managing and providing guidance and stimulation to improve efficiency, effectiveness and solving trajectory, for a class of open ended conceptual problems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 09, 2018
- Source ID
- FA95501810088
Entities
People
- Jonathan Cagan
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- United States Air Force