AN EXPERT SYSTEM DECISION AID FOR THE TRAINING TASK SELECTION PROCESS

THE TRAINING TASK SELECTION PROCESS IS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF TRAINING PROGRAM ANALYSIS. CURRENT TASK SELECTION METHODOLOGY IS OFTEN INADEQUATE BECAUSE IT DEPENDS ON SUBJECTIVE INPUT, IS TIMECONSUMING IF CONSCIENTIOUSLY APPLIED, AND FAILS TO INCORPORATE RELEVANT TASK INFORMATION AND EXPERTISE. AN EXPERT SYSTEM DECISIONAIDING DEVICE WHICH WOULD AUTOMATE THE TASK SELECTION PROCESS WOULD ELIMINATE SHORTCOMINGS IN THE EXISTING METHODOLOGY. IT WOULD CENTRALIZE RELEVANT INFORMATION AND EXPERTISE IN AN ORGANIZED DATABASE AND FORMALIZE TASK SELECTION PROCEDURES. AS A RESULT, THE TASK SELECTION PROCESS WOULD BE LESS SUBJECTIVE, LESS TIME-CONSUMING, AND CONSEQUENTLY, MORE EFFECTIVE IN DEFINING TASKS FOR TRAINING. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH EFFORT WILL EXAMINE VARIED SOURCES OF INFORMATION SUGGESTING POTENTIAL TASK SELECTION CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES, AND FROM THIS DATA, WILL CHOOSE APPROPRIATE SYSTEM FEATURES. A TASK SELECTION PROCEDURE WILL BE DESIGNED FOR THE EXPERT SYSTEM DECISION AID, AND THE SYSTEM OUTPUT AND MAN-MACHINE INTERFACE WILL BE IDENTIFIED. A SYSTEM PROTOTYPE CONTAINING A LIMITED NUMBER OF CRITERIA AND RESTRICTED PROCEDURES WILL BE BUILT TO EXAMINE THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE SYSTEM FEATURES AND DESIGN, AND THE OVERALL FEASIBILITY OF THE TASK SELECTION DECISION AID.