Multi-Perspective Decision Making in a Networked Environment

Unmanned vehicles (UVs) are transforming the submarines collection and communication capabilities. However, the user tasks needed to employ UVs are not seamlessly integrated into existing submarine tasks and personnel assignments. Further, submarines will have to flexibly coordinate UV employment with multiple partners. These complex missions will need support for multi-participant, multi-perspective decision-making. The objective of this proposal is to take a user-centered design and systems engineering approach, bringing domain expertise and relevant scientific concepts to develop a decision aid called MASTS (Multi-perspective ASsessments and Tasking for Submarines). MASTS consists of three integrated elements: a CONOPS for sub-UV task integration, a task allocation model, and a collaborative workspace to coordinate multiple perspectives. These elements seamlessly weave UV tasking onto subs, reduce knowledge fragmentation and support team situation awareness, and structure and coordinate multi-perspective decision-making. Together, these elements are anticipated to improve command decision making. The proposal team is well-positioned with relevant expertise, related sub-UV CONOPS work, domain familiarity and access to experts, extensive operational evaluation experience, and access to multiple promising transition avenues. With this approach, a solution will be developed that is scientifically principled, grounded in the real needs of operational users, and aligned with the transition process and timeline.