MPS Analysis

The Human Factors Integration Defence Technology Centre (HFI DTC) conducted a range of human factors analyses on the process of electronic mission planning in order to inform the development of future electronic mission planning systems. An in-service electronic Mission Planning System (MPS) was used as a focus for these analyses. Secondary aims were to compare the traditional paper map planning process with the contemporary MPS software tool planning process, and to compare a range of human factors methods in terms of their outputs, ease of use and resource usage involved.

This report provides a brief overview of the techniques and methodologies employed. It then summarises the conclusions and recommendations arising from the results of the analyses, with the intention that these can be used by stakeholders in the mission planning community to inform the development of future electronic mission planning systems.

The main findings were:

• Compared to the traditional paper map based process, electronic mission planning supports more detailed mission planning, removes some of the subjectivity of the paper map process, can potentially reduce planning time, permits concurrent planning, automates a significant portion of the process such as copying data to aircraft, enables multi-platform planning and is less susceptible to planning errors.
• Team planning is a collaborative activity requiring close coordination between individual planners. It would benefit from a software solution that supports collaborative working by allowing plan elements to be shared, whilst managing file ownership and access in order to maintain configuration control and prevent data loss.
• A mixed initiative approach to electronic mission planning would inform a system design where the computer aids the user by formulating appropriate planning options and suggesting solutions to errors in the plan.
• When training users in the art of mission planning the emphasis should be placed on the planning activity and the management of the many conflicting constraints. This training should be technologically agnostic and independent of any particular software tool. Any specific software training should focus on how the software functions support the planning process. This will lead to a course structure that develops mission planners rather than software operators.
• A number of design recommendations should be considered when implementing future electronic mission planning systems, including support for Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) planning, emulation of platform mission system displays and the ability to electronically import external data such as intelligence information or mission constraints.

To download the full report click on the following link: Mission Planning Analysis - Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations