Decision Making With Digital Systems PDF Download

Access to current, accurate battlefield information via the Army Battle Command System (ABCS), is supposed to improve decision making by leaders and commanders, but some research suggests that information systems may, paradoxically, have the opposite effect by overwhelming leaders with information or by emphasizing irrelevant information. There are currently no published reports examining the impact of ABCS systems on decision-making. This report is an effort to address this important research gap through an investigation of the ways the ABCS impacts decision-making by Army leaders at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC). Observer/controllers (O/Cs) at JRTC reported that few units are fully trained to use their ABCS systems. Nevertheless, most units were able to leverage some system capabilities to accomplish mission objectives. The most common decision errors were the result of the availability heuristic (e.g., making a decision with incomplete information). Of the six decision errors examined, only two were reported to involve ABCS systems. O/Cs also indicated that when digital systems increased errors, it was due to improper use rather than the design of the system. Thus, the data suggest that these systems do not increase decision errors; however, their potential to reduce errors has not yet been fully realized by units training at JRTC.