Modelling distributed decision-making in Command and Control using stochastic network synchronisation

The American approach to environmental regulation is characterized by fragmentation of responsibilities, primary reliance on command and control regulations, extraordinary complexity, a preference for identifiable standards, and heavy resort to litigation. This system has provided important benefits, including significant reduction of environmental contamination, substantial use of science in decision-making, broad participatory rights, and the stimulation of new treatment technologies. However, these gains have been achieved at excessive cost. Too much reliance is placed on command and control methods and especially on technology-based standards. There is too much resort to litigation, and inadequate input from science. Participatory rights are being undermined, and there is a poor allocation of decision-making among the federal agencies and the states. Over-regulation sometimes leads to under-regulation, and insufficient attention is given to the impact on small entities. The responsibility for these difficulties rests with everyone, including the federal agencies, the Congress, the general public and the courts. Changes in the regulatory system are needed. We should abandon the use of technology-based standards to control toxic substances under the Clean Water Act in favor of strong health- and environmentally based standards, coupled with taxes on toxic substances in wastewater.

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Attention Allocation to Physically Separate Task and Situation Displays in a Command and Control Setting

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/1071181320641271 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 64 (1) ◽

pp. 1130-1134

Author(s):

H. Golan ◽

A. Parush ◽

E. Jaffe

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Emergency Medical Services ◽

Situational Awareness ◽

Command And Control ◽

Attention Allocation ◽

Incident Management ◽

Allocation Strategy ◽

Individual Task ◽

Improved Performance ◽

And Control

Using a simulated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) dispatch center during multi-casualty incident management, this study explored whether the presence of a separate situation display in a Command and Control (C2) setting might require attention at the expense of attending an individual task display, and how it influenced performance and situational awareness. Overall, participants always attended the task display more than the situation display. However, the situation display drew attention at the expense of attending less the task display. The presence of the situation display was related to improved performance and better situational awareness (SA), particularly in the projection level of the SA, which could account also for the better decision-making performance. Participants may have developed an attention allocation strategy to effectively utilize the information of the situation display and execute their tasks on the task display.

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