SIMULATING THE IMPACT OF MPTF TRADE-OFF DECISIONS BY APPLICATION OF THE ISOPERFORMANCE METHODOLOGY

COST-EFFECTIVENESS METHODS MAY PROCEED IN EITHER OF TWO GENERAL WAYS. THE MORE FAMILIAR IS TO FIX COSTS AND MAXIMIZE EFFECTIVENESS. THE ALTERNATIVE IS TO FIX EFFECTIVENESS AND MINIMIZE "COSTS" IN TERMS OF DOLLARS, MUCH-SOUGHT-AFTER PERSONNEL, ADMINISTRATIVE INFEASIBILITY, OR OTHER SCARCE OR UNWANTED CONSIDERATIONS. ISOPERFORMANCE METHODS ARE INTENDED TO BE IMPLEMENTED AS AN INTERACTIVE COMPUTER PROGRAM WHICH SERVES AS AN EXPERT SYSTEM FOR MAKING MPTS TRADE-OFF DECISIONS. THE CENTRAL IDEA IS THE ISOPERFORMANCE CURVE, WHICH REPORESENTS THE TRADE-OFF RELATIONS AMONG PERSONNEL, TRAINING, AND EQUIPMENT CONSIDERATIONS; HELTH AND SAFETY FACTORS MAY ALSO BE INCLUDED. THE PRESENT PROPOSAL APPLIES THE ISOPERFORMANCE APPROACH TO THE SELECTION OF KEY VARIABLES IN EACH OF THE MANPRINT DOMAINS AS THOSE DOMAINS TAKE SHAPE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND ACQUISTION OF TRAINING DEVICES. THE KEY STEP WILL BE DETERMINING DEFENSIBLE CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION OF SOME VARIABLES IN EACH DOMAIN AS KEY. ONCE THIS HAS BEEN DONE, THE EXISTING ISOPERFORMANCE JOB AID (COMPUTER PROGRAM) WILL BE MODIFIED OR REWRITTEN TO IMPLEMENT THE APPLICATION OF THOSE CRITERIA. IN PHASE II, THE JOB AID WILL BE DEVELOPED, DEMONSTRATED, AND BETA TESTED.