Research Note 85-76

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY UNIT TRAINING AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Phase I Final Report

A. G. Silliman 4Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Presidio of Monterey Field Unit

Jack H. Hiller, Chief

:: I DTIC ELECTE D

TRAINING RESEARCH LABORATORY OCT 2 4

Robert J. Seidel, Acting Director

U.S. Army

* - Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences

July 1985

Approved for Dublic release; listribution unlimited.

81 o 0 3 ,1.. .. - . . . . . . .

b -.
* U. S. ARMY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

FOR THE BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

A Field Operating Agency under the Jurisdiction of the

Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel

WM. DARRYL HENDERSON

EDGAR M. JOHNSON COL, IN

Tech nical Dirctormin g

This report. as submitted by the contractor. has been cleared for~ release to Defense Technical information Center

(DTIC) to comply with regulatory requirements, 1t has been given no primary distribution other than to OTIC

and will be available only through DTIC or other reference services such as the National Technical Information

Service (NTIS1. The vicws. opiniens. and/or findings contained in this report are those of the author(%) and

should not be construoi as an officia' Cupatmeni of the Army position, policy, or decision. unless so designated

* by other offlicial documentation.

........................... .. . ...
V UNA S IF I ED___

SieOC.ASPAO P.~ AGE

REPORT DOCUMENTATiON PAGE A M 6Vi

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ARI Research Note 85-76

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12. PERSONAl. AUTI4ORIS)

A. G;. Silliman

* 13& T"Pa OP REPORT 13111 TIME COVREDo 14. OATE OP REpaOR ty,.. Me.. Devi 15 AGE COU.NT

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A at. theC batlinfon ev~r ffel.se An protot7 ye s*saen wa scesful inp en~ n md

A conter-based manageent information system was designed to assist unit traini-rg

operational within a host battalion of the U.S. Army. NThis Final Report presents

an overview of the task and summary conclusions and recaunendations.

* 20 QaSISi8%rGN,AVAI6A8ILITV OP2 AOSSRACT 121 ^0SrRIACT SMC.01lTV CL.ASSIPCATION

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SECURITY CLASSIPSCATION 0. TKIS PAGE

11) Title.

Advarced Technology Unit Training and Management System

Phase I Final Report.

~~L)

LNSP.CTEO

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF ?HIS PACE
The following nanes are trademarks of their respectively listed caqpanies:

INGRES, Relational Technology Inc.; VAX, VMS, Digital Equipment Corporation;

MUSE, MARC Software International, Incorporated.

.

The work described herein was carried out by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and

was sponsored by the United States Army Research Institute under an agreement

with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, under contract NAS7-918.

The views, cpinions and findings contained in this report are those of the

author and should not be construed as an official Department of the Anry

position, policy, or decision unless so designated by other documentation.

iii

* , * .
TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION PAGE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE .............................................. 1-1

1.1 I T RO cTION .............................................. -i

1.2 AIfU MS DOCUMENTATION ...................................... -

2.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE ATUITMSI TAS ................................... 2-1

2.1 BACKGROUND OF THE ATLIMS TASK ............................... 2-1

2.2 CONTRATAL REQUIREMN .................................... 2-2

2.3 THE OBJECTIVES ............................................... 2-3

2.4 LIMITATIONS AND CONSRAINTS ................................. 2-4

2.4.1 Resources ........................................... 2-4

2.4.2 Security ........................................... 2-4

3.0 SUMARY OF ACTIVITIES AND PRODUCTS PRODUCE...................... 3-1

3.1 TASK IMPLEMENTATION ......................................... 3-1

3.2 USER REDUIRE ENTS ........................................... 3-1

3.3 PHASE I SYSTEM DESIGN ....................................... 3-1

3.4 IMPLEMENTATION PHASE ........................................ 3-3

3.5 FIELD INSTALLATION AND USER TRAINING........................ 3-4

3.6 PRODUCTS PROVIDED ............................................ 3-4

4.0 CONCLJSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................. 4-1

4.1 OJNCLJSIONS .................................................. 4-1

4.1. 1 Conclusions Involving the ATUJ1MS Concept ........... 4-1

4.1.2 Conclusions Involving the INGRES Relational Database 4-2

4.1.3 Conclusions Involving the ATYMS Conputer System. 4-2

4.2 JPL Recommendations ....................................... 4-3

APPENDIX A. ACRONYMS .................................................. A-I

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-..-

Defense Information System Program

Advanced Technology Unit

Training and Management System, Phase I

FINAL RE ORT

Written by: Approved by:

A. G. Silliman C. A. Beswick

• Task Manager Section Manager

" Approved by: Approved by:

T. Thornton- F. Vote

* Division Manager Program Manager

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California

,,. V

............ .. * . .. .
SECTION 1

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

1.1 INTRODUCTION

This document is the Final Report for the Advanced Technology Unit

Training and Management System (ATUTMS) task undertaken by the Jet Propulsion

Laboratory for the Army Research Institute under contract NAS7-918. The

report presents an overview of the task and sunary conclusions and

recammendations.

This report is organized as follows: Section 2 describes the AWITIS

task in terms of its background, requirements, and objectives, Section 3

presents a summary of activities and products produced, and Section 4 offers

conclusions and recommendations.

1.2 A TUMS DOCUMEWATION

In addition to this Final Report, three documents were developed

during the course of this task and may be referred to for more detail about

* ) the ATUTMS system:

1) User Requirements for an Advanced Technology Unit Training

and Management System.

2) Users Guide for the Advanced Technology Unit Training and

Management System.

3) Design Description for the Advanced Technology Unit Training

and Management System.

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• - •° . .. • .., • . • .. . .* . •, • . . . . - - ° o ,• . - .. ....
0 - 7W7

SECTION 2

DESCRIPTION OF THE ATUTMSI TASK

2.1 BACMOM OF THE ATUTIS TASK

one of the critical requirements for achieving/maintaining canbat

readiness is the management of unit training. However, the management

procedures and tasks required to 1) determine individual soldier and unit

collective training needs, 2) plan and schedule, 3) provide resources, and 4)

conduct training and evaluation are extremely difficult to perform because:

a) There are a large numnber of different jobs and associated

Soldiers' manual (SM) tasks which may need to be trained;

b) The diversity of the task training needs of individual

soldiers;

c) The large nuriber of collective tasks which may need to be

trained;

d) Prerequisite training requirements: (1) SM tasks before

other SM tasks; (2) SM tasks before collective tasks; (3)

collective tasks before other collective tasks; (4)

collective tasks across echelons (e.g., Squad Movement to

Contact, before Platoon Movement to Contact);

e) The difficulty of acquiring accurate assessments of

individual and collective training needs;

f) Personnel turbulence and turnover; different forgetting

rates for different task skills and knowledge;

g) Constrained resources: time, terrain, ammnunition, vehicle

availability and spare parts, simulators and training aids,

etc.

2-1
h) Frequent interruptions to scheduled training and slow

ccmmunication of changes in taskings; and

i) Shortages of qualified trainers and training supervisors.

A ccaputer-based management information system offers great

potential to overcane the above difficulties and therefore improve unit

training management.

One of the missions of the U.S. Army Research Institute (ARI) is to

improve U.S. Army tactical unit training capabilities. Along the lines of this

mission the ARI Field Unit at the Presidio of Monterey, CA. was requested by

the Army Development and Eiploynent Agency (ADEA) at Fort Lewis, and by the

Training and Doctrine Ccmand (TRADOC) Army Training Board to conduct research

needed to develop a caprehensive, autcmated training management system for

U.S. Army battalions.

To help solve this problem, ARI developed the concept of a computerbased information system - the Advanced Technology Unit Training and

Management System (ATUTM). This prototype system was to be implemented in a

phased approach over several years in a single brigade of the 9th Infantry

Division. Initial work would be done in a single battalion.

2.2 CWTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS

In October 1982, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) made a proposal

* to ARI to develop the ATUTMS system. Contractual arrangements were canpleted

and work began in February 1983 and continued through December 1984. The

requirements of the task as stated in JPL's proposal were:

1) Evaluate the existing user requirements for the ATUTMS.

Refine these requirements and develop an ATUTMS User

Requirements Document.

2-2

......................... .
2) Conduct a preliminary design activity which would result in

a system functional design that would meet the established

user requirements.

3) Define the subset of the AYIUMS design necessary to implement

Phase I.

4) Develop a cost estimate for Phase I of ATUIMS.

5) Procure the hardware and software as required to meet the

Phase I system design.

6) Manage the Phase I system installation, check-out and initial

data entry into the system and provide training in the use of

the Phase I system.

7) Participate with ARI in the evaluation of the Phase I system

performance when it is operated by 9th Infantry Division

personnel.

8) Develop a Task Plan for follow-on phases of ATJIMS.

9) Prepare a Final Report for Phase I.

2.3 THE OBJ=rIVES

The broad objective of ARI and ADEA was to enhance unit training

management through the use of an autcmated system. The more specific JPL

objective for Phase I was the design, developnent and implementation of a

battalion-level system to support training management. A successful proof of

the concept of the prototype ATUIMS could then lead to an extension to brigade

and division echelons.

2-3

.........................- "i...,-i<--' ii.- '''ii-2-'-1-i-ii i"iii""-'-i.'ii"'-.''i '.. 1 ' i' i "12'l ..... ...-- ".
- 2.4 LIMITATIONS AND CONSTRAINTS

This section discusses the limitations and contraints imposed on the

task. The reasons for each limitation and/or constraint are discussed along

. with their effects on the ATUTMS task.

2.4.1 Resources

Two independent cost estimates for Phase I were developed. They

were both in the 1.5-2 million dollar range. Since this magnitude of funding

was not available, the original concept for Phase I was de-scoped to $800,000.

This de-scoping resulted in a minimal set of applications in each functional

area. Effects of the de-scoping during the conduct of Phase I limited Phase I

applications, user training and user support. The de-sccping also

limited documentation and forced it to be developed after the system was

implemented.

2.4.2 Security

ATTIMS was implenented with a standard commercial computer system.

This system includes the use of User Names and Passwords to restrict

undesirable access, but is not a secured system in a classified sense. This

fact ultimately led to determining that the Unit Status Report, for example,

could not be implemnted because this data is considered sensitive.

2-4 * .

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SECTION 3

S-. R OF ACTIVITIES AND PIODUCTS PRODUCED

3.1 TASK IMPLEMEThATION

The ATUIMS task was ccmprised of four subtasks: 1) collecting and

docuenting user requirements, 2) developing a Phase 1 design, 3) implementing

the Phase 1 design, 4) and fielding the Phase 1 system.

3.2 USER REQUIREMENTS

JPL collected user requirements trxough technical discussions with ARI

' and other Army contacts. Mr. Pat Whitmarsh of ARI made a significant

contribution to this task through his initial version of the ATEIMS

requirements. In July 1983, the 1-11 FA Battalion at Fort Lewis was identified

as the host unit. The 1-11 FA provided valuable inputs to the requirements

collection. Draft requirements were prepared and modified in response to

ScoUments frcm the involved organizations. This cycle was repeated several times.

The product of the subtask, the User Requirements for an Advanced Technology

* Unit Training and Management Systems divided the requirements into two phases: Phase I - a baseline system for garrison operations, and Phase II - a paperless

processing system.

3.3 PHASE 1 SYSTEM DESIGN

In this subtask, JPL performed a functional analysis of the requirements and derived a Phase I system design. This design was iterated nunerous

times to arrive at a design ccmensurate with the funding and manpower

constraints. The functions identified for the Phase I system are listed below.

ATUTMS Functions Identified for Implementation in the Phase I System:

1) Training

o Individual and collective training records

o ARTEP and Soldier Manual Reference Data

O Training Schedule - not in calendar form

3-1

. . _ . ,.,.,.. . . .... . ... . .. . . .
L ... ..

2) Personnel

o SIDPERS record maintenance and update - not all SIDPERS data

was used

o Per -wnel Roster

o Daily Status Report

o Unit Manning Report

o Skill Inventory Report

3) Lagjstics

o Materiel Readiness Report (DA 2406)

o Vehicle History File (DD 314)

o Hand Receipts (DA 2062)

o Prescribed Load List (DA 2063)

4) Other

0 Unit Status Report

o Word Processing

o Electronic Mail

Canponent selection for the Phase I system was guided by the following

criteria:

a) Desire to select ccmponents already used at the host installation

(which the host might be familiar with or likely to be required

to use in the future)

b) Immediate availability of a development system at JPL

c) Funding constraints

d) Desire to use a commercial relational database management system

to avoid a large software development effort

The Distributed Cmnand and Control System (DC(S) being developed at

Fort Lewis presented the possibility of meeting the first criteria listed above.

* The DCCS is comprised of Wicat and Grid microcomputers. Contact with

. both Wicat and Grid companies revealed that a relational database was not

available for their equipment to support the A7TITMS application. JPL attempted

3-2

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to pursuade these companies and several database software enterprises to

consider a joint-marketing venture. At least one company considered this

proposal but apparently decided the market was not sufficient. Thus, the

caiponent selection was driven by the second criterion. The decision was to use

* a VAX ccaputer manufactured by the Digital Equipment Corporation and the INGRES

relational database management system produced by Relational Technology

- Incorporated. Both of these components were already available at JPL for

izinediate support of ATUIS development. Funding constraints limited the

camputer system, oammercial software, and peripherals to the absolute minimum

required for Phase I. Three Grid microcomputers were included in the system to

provide field operation capabilities.

3.4 IMLEMENTATION PHASE

The implementation phase consisted of procuring and installing

cammercial hardware and software, specifying facility requirements and

. interacting with the host battalion on the facility modifications, implementing

* database applications software, and planning user training.

Procurement of commercial components enccmpassed requisitioning those

items selected during the design phase. These included the VAX 11/750 computer

with disk and tape drives, terminals, printers, Grid microcomputers, INGRES

software, and word processing software. The installation of these ccmponents

was mostly a matter of receiving, uncrating, checkout, and initial adjustment or

* setup. The computer manufacturer performed the setup and initial checkout of

" the computer.

JPL identified the facility requirements for supporting the ATUTMS

* system. These requirements were transmitted to the host battalion which

- ultimately became responsible for implementing them. A small office within the

host battalion headquarters building was converted into the central computer

site. Necessary electrical power and air conditioning was installed. Cables

-,.were laid fran the computer site to frur other battalion buildings where

- terminals were installed. JPL fabricated a patch panel which was installed at

the caputer site. This panel allowed selection and connection of 13 terminals

3-3
to the computer from 30 possible locations at one time. Commercial line drivers

* were incorporated into the panel and located at each terminal site to provide

caummication over the required distances.

Software implementation consisted of establishing data structures,

menus and reports using the INGRES relational database. The applications were

divided into three areas: Training, Personnel, and Logistics. The Personnel

application was developed first, followed by Training, and finally, Logisti-s.

User training plans were developed before installing the first

application at Fort Lewis. This consisted of developing a training outline and

materials to assist training the host soldiers to use the system. Self-paced

* lessons were developed and installed in the computer for the wocrd processing

software.

3.5 FIELD INSTALLATION AND USER TRAINIM3

The first phase of this ATTJI'N task was to install the applications

*software at Fort Lewis, train the battalion users, and support initial

operations of the system. This phase required a ten-month period with one JPL

person on site for most of the period, and considerable travel by other task

mmbers.

3.6 PRODUCTIS PROVJIDED

The folloing summary of products were provided by JPL in performance

of this task.

1) User Requirements for an Advanced Technology Unit Training

and Management System. This document describes the user

requirements developed for Phases I and II of ATTI'MS.

2) Users Guide for the Advanced Technology Unit Training and

Management System. This document provides instructions for

the operation of the Phase I system.

3-4
3) Design Descripticn for the Advanced Technology Unit Training

and Management System. This document provides design

information for technical support to future design changes to

AN~S.

4) A magnetic tape copy of the ATUIMS software. This copy was

installed on the ARI VAX minicomputer at the Presidio of

Monterey for demonstration and evaluation.

3-5
, , ,, 

SETION 4

ONCUSICNS AND RECCMEMDATIONS

4.1 CONCLJSIONS

4.1.1 Conclusions involving the ATUTMS concept are:

1) The ATUMS concept is viable and was successfully demonstrated.

a) The JPL objective to design, develop and implement

Phase I of ATUINS was accomplished.

b) The ARI and ADEA objectives were measured through an

evaluation test conducted by the Army Combat Developments

and Experimentation Center (CDEC). The CDEC analysis

revealed that the majority of users preferred the

computerized system over the manual system because it

saved time, labor, and enabled them to do their jobs

better and faster.

2) Battery and battalion-level soldiers can be trained to use the

system successfully with several days of training.

(Approximately 70 users were trained.)

3) Soldiers do not have enough tine to fulfill their Army duties

and also learn how to develop their own application programs as

originally envisioned. Nor do they have time to learn complex

computer applications. Applications must be fully developed

for them and must be easy to use. The program must be menu

driven, and report and query formats must be easy to use.

4) To provide adequate support for maintaining and using this

system within a battalion, at least two soldiers must be highly

trained to act as database administrators, system managers,

teachers, and user consultants. These personnel must be at

4-1

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least partially relieved of their normal duties in order to

perform these functions, and must be made available at the

start of system installation in order to allow adequate

training time.

5) The ATUThM concept is applicable Army-wide. Very few of the

applications that were developed are unique to the 1-11 FA.

Examples of 1-11 FA unique applications are use of the term

Battery versus Cbmpany, and incorporation of special programs

such as the Personnel Reliability Program.

4.1.2 Conclusions involving the INGRES relational database are:

1) The relational database is well-suited for the battalion

management system.

2) The commercial relational database is an effective means of

reducing the amount of programming required for an

information management system of this type.

4.1.3 Conclusions involving the ATUTI ccaputer system are:

1) The VAX 11/750 minicomputer was reliable and worked well for

this application.

2) During heavy usage periods the nunber of users is limited to

approximately 10 due to system response time.

3) Peak user loads occur at mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

4) Memory sizes used for the Phase I System are:

VMS System Files 131 MB*

General Utilities 1 MB

INGRES System Files 15 MB

4-2

v

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MUSE System Files 7 MB

ATJTMS System Files 4 MB

ATUTMS Database Files 47 MB

User-Developed Databases 15 MB

Users Files 41 MB

Total 261 MB

* Megabytes

4.2 JPL Recommendations

The ATUTMS prototype has directly contributed to the decision by the

9th Infantry Division, ADEA, and the Department of the Army Director of

Training (Office of Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations & Plans - ODCSOPS) to

create a division-wide ATUTMS-like prototype system. This system could

potentially produce a division model for adoption throughout the Army. to

develop this division-wide system the following recommendations are made:

1) The ATUTMS training management concept should be expanded to a

complete battalion management system. Training and battalion

management are closely related and both require such

comprehensive knowledge of all areas of the battalion that they

should be combined into one system. Use of automation

capabilities of the existing system should be emphasized.

2) After conpletion of the battalion management system them Phase

II requirements as documented in the User Requirements for an

Advanced Technology Unit Training and Management System should

be reexamined in respect to the experience gained with the Phase

I system. The Department of the Army Personnel and Logistics

centers should participate in this process. Additional

capabilities such as paperless processing, the Training

Management and Cost Accounts System Concepts, and the Tactical

Operations Paperless System concept should be considered. This

effort should encompass automation to the division level with

automated interfaces.

4-3

..........................................
APPENDIX A

ACRONYMS

ADEA Army Development and Employment Agency

ARI U.S. Army Research Institute

ARTEP Army Training and Evaluation Program

ATUTMS Advanced Technology Unit Training and Management System

DCCS Distributed Command and Control System

ODCSOPS Office of Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations & Plans

SIDPERS Standard Installation Division Personnel System

SM Soldier's Manual

TRADOC Training and Doctrine Command

A-1

L

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