MOSAIC: Measurement of Simultaneous Actions and Integrated Contexts Navy SBIR FY2010.2 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2010.2 Topic No.: N102-147 Topic Title: MOSAIC: Measurement of Simultaneous Actions and Integrated Contexts Proposal No.: N102-147-0970 Firm: Aptima, Inc. 12 Gill Street Suite 1400 Woburn, Massachusetts 01801 Contact: Amy Alexander Phone: (781) 496-2471 Web Site: aptima.com Abstract: The U.S. Navy is filled with multi-tasking environments (e.g., Combat Information Center, Unmanned Systems, Naval aviation). Multi-tasking requirements continue to grow over time due to an increase in the number and complexity of mission sets, an unprecedented volume of available information, and the Navy's initiative to reduce manning requirements for effective cost management. While research on multi-tasking is plentiful, measures generalizable to multiple contexts and domains are lacking. To meet this need, we propose MOSAIC: Measurement Of Simultaneous Actions and Integrated Contexts. The goal of MOSAIC is to develop a system that facilitates rigorous evaluation of multi-tasking performance within human-centered systems. The resulting product will have three components: (1) MOSAIC Framework, a multidisciplinary theoretically-based measurement framework of multi-tasking; (2) MOSAIC Measurement Toolset, a set of validated measurement tools that facilitate a multi-method collection of multi-tasking performance; and (3) MOSAIC Analytics Tool, an analysis tool providing an integrated picture of human multi-tasking performance based on the measures and framework. MOSAIC will provide theoretical underpinnings to relevant measures of multi-tasking performance that are implemented in a set of measurement and analysis tools that can rapidly and consistently identify risks and support decisions on mitigation strategies across a range of Navy environments. Benefits: The results of our Phase I and II activities will be MOSAIC, a system that facilitates a rigorous evaluation of multi-tasking performance by Navy operators within human-centered systems. Built on a multi-method, multidisciplinary framework, MOSAIC will leverage Aptima's A-Measurer product suite to develop a comprehensive approach for assessing human performance in multi-tasking environments. Specifically, MOSAIC will collect observer-based, system-based, and self-report measures using the SPOTLITETM, PM EngineTM, and CENTERTM components of A-Measurer, respectively. While the measures provided by MOSAIC will be based on a generalizable, overarching set of criteria to evaluate performance in multi-tasking environments, the users will be able to modify those measures using Performance WorkbenchTM, a performance measure authoring application. Finally, the results from system evaluation exercises will be viewed in Aptima's A-Measurer Analytics tool, customized to assist evaluators rapidly identify patterns or trends of interest in the resulting data. While we will develop a set of measures applicable to specific Navy domains, our measurement approach and generalizable framework will be applicable to other DoD agencies and commercial organizations who share some common challenges as the Navy: (1) the development of complex human-machine systems; (2) the requirement for increased multi-tasking by operators (either due to decreased manning requirements or consumer demand); and (3) safety critical environments where operator errors may have severe effects (e.g., loss of life, environmental impacts, etc.). Return