Understanding and Modeling Information Dominance in Battle Management: Applications of Fuzzy Cognitive Maps

Abstract : The report takes a unique look at information dominance and how it relates to shared situation awareness and the decision making cycles of the OODA loop. An explanation of information dominance is developed through a historical example of battle management (the Battle of Britain) to demonstrate the various levels of information interconnectivity. This example is then extrapolated to look at the constraints and options existent within contemporary information dominance. Fuzzy cognitive mapping, a method for eliciting and modeling human interactions in complex situations (such as information dominance) is introduced and applied to a real world scenario. The role of fuzzy cognitive maps: (1) as a means to explicate cause effect relationships in individual and teamwork settings; and (2) to model emergent complexity in information dominance situations; is described using the context of the real world scenario. The use of fuzzy cognitive maps is reviewed and evaluated for effectively capturing and abstracting knowledge relevant to shared situation awareness.