Considerations in the Application of Complexity Theory - Based Measures of Individual Performance to Team and Organizational Tasks

The development of techniques for measuring complex task performance continues to be a problem area both in government and industrial contexts. This problem becomes even more critical as emphasis moves from individual, to group and/or team performance. This paper suggests a variety of measurement techniques that have been applied to the assessment of individual complex performance, and comments on the use of these (and similar) techniques with respect to the measurement of team performance. The measures are derived from the study of “Complexity Theory” (cf. Streufert and Swezey, 1986), and include consideration of both strategic and general planning activity, as well as the diversity of action required in complex team performance situations.

[1]  G. Briggs,et al.  Team performance as a function of team arrangement and work load. , 1968 .

[2]  John A. Modrick,et al.  The Role of Complexity in Human Performance, Memory, and Training , 1992 .

[3]  W A Johnston,et al.  Transfer of team skills as a function of type of training. , 1966, The Journal of applied psychology.

[4]  E. A. Fleishman,et al.  Team Dimensions: Their Identity, Their Measurement and Their Relationships , 1985 .

[5]  Eduardo Salas,et al.  Team Process Measurement and Implications for Training , 1992 .

[6]  Terry L. Dickinson,et al.  The effects of work interaction and its interplay with task organization on team and member performance , 1969 .

[7]  Glenda Y. Nogami,et al.  Cognitive complexity and team decision making. , 1992 .

[8]  T. Dickinson,et al.  Task structure, work structure, and team performance. , 1969 .

[9]  John A. Modrick,et al.  Review of Concepts and Approaches to Complexity , 1992 .

[10]  Arthur S Blaiwes,et al.  Measurement of Team Behaviors in a Navy Environment , 1986 .

[11]  Wanda J. Campbell,et al.  The Evolution of Teamwork Skills: An Empirical Assessment with Implications for Training , 1987 .

[12]  Robert W. Swezey,et al.  Complexity, managers, and organizations , 1986 .

[13]  Adie McRae,et al.  INTERACTION CONTENT AND TEAM EFFECTIVENESS , 1966 .

[14]  Daniel J. Dwyer,et al.  An Index for Measuring Naval Team Performance , 1992 .

[15]  Roland W. Denson.  Team Training: Literature Review and Annotated Bibliography , 1981 .

[16]  J. Hackman.  A Normative Model of Work Team Effectiveness , 1983 .

[17]  V. Rich.  Personal communication , 1989, Nature.

[18]  C. Gersick.  Time and Transition in Work Teams: Toward a New Model of Group Development , 1988 .