Evaluation of advanced multi-modal command and control communication management suite

Abstract

Command and Control (C2) operators function in communication intensive environments that impose a high degree of workload on them, thus resulting in failures of detection or comprehension of messages. To combat these issues, researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory have developed an advanced network-centric communication management suite that aids C2 operators in their mission called Multi-Modal Communication (MMC). This system provides operators with the tools to manage communication in a single, intuitive, dynamic display that reduces perceived mental workload and aids in decision making and situation awareness. This study set out to evaluate the MMC tool as a communication management suite, which affords participants the ability to detect as well as comprehend the presentation of multiple critical messages. The use of the MMC tool resulted in more detections of critical messages and greater message comprehension, while also lowering ratings of perceived mental workload as compared to traditional communication tools such as radio and chat. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.