Effects of Information Distribution on Team Performance in a Dynamic Command and Control Environment with Familiar Teams

Abstract

The success of military and civilian Command and Control (C2) depends on the adaptability of C2 entities to swiftly respond to dynamic changes in complex situations. One facet proposed to enable this agility is the distribution of information in C2 networks. Past research has found that increased information distribution among team members can promote information sharing (IS) and therefore promote team performance, but it has also been shown that tailoring information to specific team roles can prevent cognitive overload and improve task coordination. Further, as operational teams often have pre-existing team familiarity, understanding the impact of information distribution on the effectiveness of familiar teams is essential for C2 optimisation. This study aimed to investigate the impact of information distribution (high condition: all team members receiving all information versus low condition: each member receiving information relevant to their role) on team effectiveness within familiar teams in a dynamic C2 environment. Our research employed three rounds of simulated firefighting tasks with escalating difficulty in the C3Fire simulation, injecting social media information during the tactical operation of 43 four-member teams. Groups in the low condition demonstrated their advantage via quicker message acknowledgment and faster reactions to team decisions, as well as saving more critical objects in the most difficult round. Additionally, teams in the low condition outperformed those in the high condition by saving more critical objects when information load was low; however, this advantage diminished as information load increased. Our results suggest that distributing relevant information to familiar teams improves team effectiveness. Show more