Development of a Methodology for Assessing Military Team Processes

• Main Author: Fraser, Brent DeWayne
• Other Authors: Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Format: Others
• Published: Virginia Tech 2014
• Subjects: Command and Control Team; Team Performance; Team Observation; Team Evaluation Methods
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/35082; http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-09172003-000220/

This study is based upon the premise that overall team performance is the sum of the team's performance in several individual team processes. The purpose of this study was to develop a tool to measure performance in each of these individual team processes. This study begins the measurement development cycle by developing a tool that uses direct observation to collect data on team processes. The tool was then tested in a battle simulation being used as a C2 training exercise. The study showed that (1) the team process performance can be measured using direct observation, and (2) non subject-matter experts can accurately and reliably rate team performance by using the data collection tool. The tool developed here relied on an observer to rate the command team on 43 items concerning ten team processes. Ratings were collected on visual analog scales that were overlaid with a Likert-type template for analysis. The results showed that six of the ten constructs were measured reliably and validly. However, inter-rate reliability was shown to be an issue to be overcome in future studies. The implications of this weakness, the potential of this line of research,and potential tool design changes are discussed in this thesis. === Master of Science