Measuring and Assessing Maneuver Squad Leader Adaptability Navy SBIR FY2016.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2016.1 Topic No.: N161-060 Topic Title: Measuring and Assessing Maneuver Squad Leader Adaptability Proposal No.: N161-060-0025 Firm: Cognitive Performance Group of Florida 3662 Avalon Park Blvd E Suite 205 Orlando, Florida 32828 Contact: Karol Ross Phone: (407) 282-4433 Web Site: http://www.cognitiveperformancegroup.com Abstract: Despite decades of research, there has been little progress to operationalize the construct of adaptability nor to assess proficiency as a means of providing insight into the cognitive readiness of the Force. The military requires research and development of well-defined performance criteria for adaptability assessment and training. The research team proposes to develop operational definitions of adaptability and three supporting cognitive skills-cognitive flexibility, anomaly detection, and change detection-to provide clear criteria regarding performance of the constructs. Hypotheses as to the relationships among these four constructs will be generated. Finally, a domain-specific assessment instrument will be developed within which the well-defined performance can be elicited and assessed. The instrument, a Virtual Adaptability Module, will employ a domain-specific approach to stimulate and measure the performance of interest. A series of interactive vignettes and videos will be produced by leveraging procedural content generation to gain efficiencies in development. Adaptive assessment that scales the level of difficulty to individual test-taker proficiencies will be employed to realize assessment efficiencies. The final Virtual Adaptability Module will function as a standalone assessment as well as a component of the Small Unit Decision Making Assessment Battery. Benefits: This Phase I research will result in a prototype assessment instrument leveraging virtual technology for domain-specific measurement of adaptability and related cognitive skills. As a result, the Services will be able to objectively assess key contributors to the cognitive readiness of small unit leaders across the Force. Return