Decision-making under uncertainty: A Brehmerian approach

This article discusses the contributions of the late Professor Berndt Brehmer with an emphasis on dynamic decision making under uncertainty. This concept has a long history as ambiguity implied in selective attention, later emphasised by prospect theory, which incorporates a time dimension. Time may be a solution to problems of uncertainty, not least the timing of decisions with each other and with environmental developments. This approach sees  decision making, from a process perspective, ultimately asking whether it makes sense to frame decisions as specific events or as an expression of an ongoing design process where the possibility spaces are expanded rather than limited to decision making among pre-existing alternatives. A dynamic view of the time dimension also encourages decision making as learning through probing actions and negotiation and collaboration, as well as with the environment. As much as this may sound like a recipe for managing second-track processes, it is also a recipe for managing through direct interaction, albeit a less-than-objective one understood through the biased perception of boundedly rational actors

Multiteam Systems Handling Time-Sensitive Targets: Developing Situation Awareness in Distributed and Co-located Settings

There is an increasing interest in how to organize operations carried out by multiteam systems (MTS). Large MTS typically operate with a dedicated integration team, responsible for coordinating the operation. We report a study of a military multiteam system that prosecute time-sensitive targets. We asked whether and how the integration team’s efficiency depends on its communication setting. Specifically, we studied how a co-located vs. a distributed communications setting influenced the shared situation awareness and whether the shared situation awareness again influenced the outcome of the decision processes. We found that performance fell when the integration team shifted from a co-located to a distributed setting. The fall in performance seemed to be mediated by a corresponding fall in situation awareness. Moreover, while the performance improved for each run in the co-located setting, we did not see such learning in the distributed setting. Qualitative observations revealed that misunderstandings lasted longer in a distributed configuration than in a co-located setting. We found that situation awareness at level 3 was the only level of situation awareness significant for predicting all dimensions of performance. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed.publishedVersio

How Can User Generated Content in Games Foster Enhanced Learning Outcome

Games used for learning purposes, also called «serious games» have been a focus for research for several years. However, the content is either developed by pedagogues or game designers. This paper is investigating if using a «dewanian» take on the content development can enhance the learning outcome. Assuming, like in a Socratic dialogue, that the answers lie within the learners themselves, there is no reason as to why the content, or to be more precise; the scenarios, could be developed by the learners. Given a game environment, like a city, a port, or other geographical representation, what is happening there can be based on the learners input. In this way it is also possible for faculty staff to keep on track with the students perception of relevance to a present or future worklife. At The Inland University of Applied Sciences, Campus Rena, we have tested out making the students come up with scenarios depicting different crisis scenarios. These scenarios are then given to the game master for the game environment and played. The class that has tested this, were divided in two groups. Most of the students, though not all, have a background within crisis management, and all attend the 6th semester of their BA in Crisis Management study. Both groups handed in a scenario to the game master. The game master developed the scenario in the game environment and then the group that «owned» the scenario was playing out different issues. The other group were the responding units. When both groups’ scenarios were played, the groups met for an «after action review». The preliminary results show that this increased the realism in the gaming sessions. The paper will present an in-depth presentation of the course layout, and a complete review of the feedback from the students. The data is mainly qualitative and are based on observations and interviews with the students. Using games this way was indeed a ludic way of learning more about crisis. There were some issues that needed to be addressed, like the communication devices, but the total impression were positive. To be able to contribute with a scenario they had built on their own, they also found to be supportive of their learning process.publishedVersio

Flipped Gaming - testing three simulation games

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Flipped Gaming: The Teachers Role When Using the Students as Content Providers

In order to activate students and make them active contributors in a class, the concept of “Flipped Classroom” has been used at several Universities, also at The Inland University of Applied Sciences Norway. Flipping the classroom and making the students contribute, and being active, has supported the students learning outcome. Generally, when using games for learning, the game scenario is either decided by the lecturer/teacher, or defined by the designers and/or producers of the game used. In this paper we will explore how the teachers/lecturers role changes when the scenarios to be played in the game environment are defined and developed by the students themselves. The methodological approach is mainly qualitative and the data are observations from gaming sessions, minutes from review processes and interviews with faculty staff responsible for the course. The paper will present how the lecturer/teacher changes role from being the center of attention and the provider of knowledge, to a facilitator that both empower the students and enables the students to contribute towards developing increased understanding and enhanced learning outcome. By enabling the students to contribute in such a way, the support towards the reflection processes described by Donald Schön in his work “The reflective practitioner” from 1991, is being supported in all stages. The reflection before action is when they discuss and agree on scenario, they need to reflect in action upon action, and they need to reflect on action when finished gaming. These reflection processes need to be facilitated in order to support the learning process and when flipping the gaming, this is one of the roles of the facilitator; the lecturer/teacher. The paper will present a project called “Seed corn 2017 – Pedagogical Use of Games in Crisis Management Education”, using a course at The Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Rena, Norway, and the results from the research.publishedVersio

An Examination of the Personality Constructs Underlying Dimensions of Creative Problem- Solving Style

This study investigated the personality facets that underpin the construct of problem solving style, particularly when approaching more creative kinds of problem solving. Cattell’s Sixteen Personality Factors Questionnaire and VIEW – An Assessment of Problem Solving Style were administered to 165 students from the Norwegian Business School. We explored relationships through correlational and regression analysis. Personality profiles were derived for each of VIEW’s three dimensions and were in generally expected directions. Those with an Explorer preference were more imaginative and idea-oriented, open to change, unconventional, freethinking and flexible than Developers. Those with a Developer preference were more practical and solution oriented, more traditional, rule conscious, conservative, and respecting of traditional ideas. Those with an External preference were more group oriented, affiliative, socially bold, warm, and attentive to others than those with an Internal preference. Those with a more Task oriented preference were more impersonal, detached, utilitarian, and tough minded than those with Person oriented preference. We outlined implications and suggestions for further research

An Examination of the Personality Constructs Underlying Dimensions of Creative Problem- Solving Style

This study investigated the personality facets that underpin the construct of problem solving style, particularly when approaching more creative kinds of problem solving. Cattell’s Sixteen Personality Factors Questionnaire and VIEW – An Assessment of Problem Solving Style were administered to 165 students from the Norwegian Business School. We explored relationships through correlational and regression analysis. Personality profiles were derived for each of VIEW’s three dimensions and were in generally expected directions. Those with an Explorer preference were more imaginative and idea-oriented, open to change, unconventional, freethinking and flexible than Developers. Those with a Developer preference were more practical and solution oriented, more traditional, rule conscious, conservative, and respecting of traditional ideas. Those with an External preference were more group oriented, affiliative, socially bold, warm, and attentive to others than those with an Internal preference. Those with a more Task oriented preference were more impersonal, detached, utilitarian, and tough minded than those with Person oriented preference. We outlined implications and suggestions for further research

Multiteam Systems Handling Time-Sensitive Targets: Developing Situation Awareness in Distributed and Co-located Settings

There is an increasing interest in how to organize operations carried out by multiteam systems (MTS). Large MTS typically operate with a dedicated integration team, responsible for coordinating the operation. We report a study of a military multiteam system that prosecute time-sensitive targets. We asked whether and how the integration team’s efficiency depends on its communication setting. Specifically, we studied how a co-located vs. a distributed communications setting influenced the shared situation awareness and whether the shared situation awareness again influenced the outcome of the decision processes. We found that performance fell when the integration team shifted from a co-located to a distributed setting. The fall in performance seemed to be mediated by a corresponding fall in situation awareness. Moreover, while the performance improved for each run in the co-located setting, we did not see such learning in the distributed setting. Qualitative observations revealed that misunderstandings lasted longer in a distributed configuration than in a co-located setting. We found that situation awareness at level 3 was the only level of situation awareness significant for predicting all dimensions of performance. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed

Multiteam Systems Handling Time-Sensitive Targets: Developing Situation Awareness in Distributed and Co-located Settings

There is an increasing interest in how to organize operations carried out by multiteam systems (MTS). Large MTS typically operate with a dedicated integration team, responsible for coordinating the operation. We report a study of a military multiteam system that prosecute time-sensitive targets. We asked whether and how the integration team’s efficiency depends on its communication setting. Specifically, we studied how a co-located vs. a distributed communications setting influenced the shared situation awareness and whether the shared situation awareness again influenced the outcome of the decision processes. We found that performance fell when the integration team shifted from a co-located to a distributed setting. The fall in performance seemed to be mediated by a corresponding fall in situation awareness. Moreover, while the performance improved for each run in the co-located setting, we did not see such learning in the distributed setting. Qualitative observations revealed that misunderstandings lasted longer in a distributed configuration than in a co-located setting. We found that situation awareness at level 3 was the only level of situation awareness significant for predicting all dimensions of performance. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discusse