Mapped Optimal Ad-Hoc Teams (MOAT)

Implementation of new doctrine in structures such as the Unit of Action (UA) has resulted in command organizations that are distributed, fluid, and highly mobile, in contrast to legacy organizational structures which relied on a co-location in a 'big tent.' Battle lab experiments show that commanders and executive officers can easily lose awareness of the situation with their distributed staff organization under this transformation, creating a key need for tools and visualizations to help them (re-)gain this aspect of the operational picture. In addition, when they decide (ideally supported by cues in that interface) to constitute or investigate the status of ad hoc teams, they need a system with sufficient knowledge of capability and expertise to help them efficiently determine any deficiencies and what actions to take. We propose a tool we call MOAT (Mapped Optimal Ad-hoc Teams) to meet this need. MOAT incorporates an innovative integration of technologies from several fields, including social network analysis, risk analysis, cognitive agents, human-computer interaction, and battlespace visualization techniques. The Phase I effort will design the key components and integration strategies for MOAT, as well as create a proof-of-concept software prototype.