From ethnography to the EAST method: a tractable approach for representing distributed cognition in Air Traffic...

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Science
• Systems Engineering
• Human Factors

Background:

• Command and control (C2) is a complex activity involving resource management and authority.
• Conventional experimental methods struggle with the multi-faceted, socio-technical, and emergent nature of C2.
• Existing distributed cognition approaches often rely on difficult-to-apply ethnographic methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a practical method for applying distributed cognition to command and control.
• To overcome the limitations of ethnographic techniques in studying complex work settings.
• To translate social science concepts into systems analysis for broader interpretation.

Main Methods:

• Introduces the Event Analysis for Systemic Teamwork (EAST) method.
• Applies a distributed cognition perspective.
• Utilizes a worked example from Air Traffic Control (ATC).

Main Results:

• EAST facilitates the application of distributed cognition in complex environments like ATC.
• The method translates social science insights into systems analysis language.
• Demonstrates a practical alternative to ethnographic studies for C2 analysis.

Conclusions:

• Distributed cognition is a suitable framework for understanding complex work settings.
• The EAST method offers a practical and interpretable approach to distributed cognition.
• This work bridges the gap between social science theory and systems engineering practice in C2.