Methods to Meet Changes in the Security Environment a Proposal of Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment Attributes for Coordination Performance

Abstract

The use of methods to inform changes of command and control has long been important, in particular through empirical surveys and computational simulation. In this article, we focus on a particular type of control: “bump-less” time-shift of authority during emergency response where it is not desirable to interrupt task resolution (Dess et al.,1984). As an example we address a particular type of control in a sociotechnical use case, i.e. ensuring coordinated action among human and non-human entities, and specifically use as a case shift of who ensures coordinated action when what entities are participating fluctuate over time, yet there is a need to sustain coordination (e.g. due to criticality of sustained performance). We do some work to detail a sociotechnical control mechanism and we present methods for examining the influence such control may have on performing both planned, prescribed, organizational task work as well as dynamic, non-prescribed tasks (Stanton et al., 2018). We argue that measures of high fidelity, with high specificity, defined before task resolution (feedforward) may be particularly important in prescribed change due to the possibility to define clear goals for coordinating and detailing who holds coordination authority. For dynamic change, on the other hand supporting technology that enable a sensing and processing of feedback the number of agents/entities undergoing change is not predetermined and the change of who is best suited to coordinate authority is less clear. Our theorizing is illustrated by using traditional linear control theory emulating shift of control nuanced by an emergency use case. In conclusion, we suggest future directions for research as well as practical implications.