Problem solving in expert teams: Functional models and task processes

摘要

This paper presents a functional model (one that describes processes, interactions, and evolution oftime) that describes the process of solving problems that takes place in a team of expert engineersand scientists. The context is real-time, safety-critical NASA spaceflight mission operations, specificallythe team of flight controllers in the Mission Control Center (MCC). The model includesdescriptions of the agents (the representation of the flight controllers) involved and abstractions oftheir expertise. The model describes abstractions of controller expertise in terms of character statsinspired by multiplayer role-playing games. The problem-solving process follows three stages: detection,isolation, and recovery. The middle stage is the most complex, with two different groupconsensusrules that depend on the difficulty of the problem.