ISCRAM 2013: Leading Cats: How to Effectively Command Collectives
1. Leading Cats: How to Effectively
Command Collectives
Joanne Hinds
Ana Calderon
Peter Johnson
University of Bath
2. Command and Control in Collectives
• Aim
– Enhance understanding
– Combine different approaches for dealing with
commands
• Individual command components
• Interplay between different commands
– How can human autonomous systems work as
collectives?
– How to achieve command by intent?
– How to encourage new and agile behaviour?
• For individuals
• For organisations
3. Collaboration is difficult
• Collectives
– Ideally they would work together harmoniously
– In practice, this is near impossible
• Difficulties arise
– Individuals have received particular training
– Joint training is rare
– Different command structures
– Different organisational processes
• Organisations must focus on
– Information sharing
– Collaboration
– Coordination
• Brehmer (2011) Harmony of Efforts
– Harmony rather than unity
4. Defining commands in collectives
• Defining commands in collectives
• 2 streams
– Higher conceptual level
• Considers the command itself
• Impact of one command on another
• Little detail in the understanding of a single command
• Accurate models for understanding interactions
– Lower conceptual level
• Grammatical decomposition of elements of a command
• Accurately depict a single command
• Doesn’t describe how different commands come together
• Doesn’t describe what causes commands to be issued in different
situations
5. Understanding commands in
collectives
• Command by intent
– US Department of Defense “a clear and concise
expression of the purpose of the operation and the
desired military end state that supports mission
command, provides focus to the staff and helps
subordinate and supporting commanders act to
achieve the commander’s desired results without
further orders, even when the operation does not
unfold as planned”
6. Command by intent
• “What to do” not “How to do it”
• Requires a structure of intent
• Allows for improvisation and novel behaviour
• Learning is needed
– Individually and collectively
7. Intent
• To watch a film…..
– “I intend for you to watch film”
– “I intend to take you to the cinema to see that
film”
– If that film is borrowed from a friend and given to
you then one intention was satisfied but not the
other.
8. Command in collectives
• How to achieve successful command during
coalition situations
• Case studies – Hurricane Katrina
• These elements must be present
– Human bias
– An understanding of the interplay between
• Different commands
• Different elements of different commands
– Flexibility
– An understanding of organisational
doctrine, organisational and individual culture
9. Hurricane Katrina
• Failures in the command system
– Rigid allocation of roles
– Inflexibility in command approach
• Human bias
– High level intent blocked by intent to keep the peace
10. • An understanding of the interplay between
– Different commands
– Different elements of different commands
– E.g. Marine rescue
11. • Flexibility
– Evacuations from hospital vs. sheltered housing
• An understanding of organisational
doctrine, organisational and individual culture
12. Summary
• Different approaches to command are
required in different situations
– Even when the same organisations are involved
– Organisations need high degree of flexibility when
cooperating with other stakeholders
• New technology and evolution in human
nature means that this list will never be truly
comprehensive
– Social media
Editor's Notes
Pay particular attention to coalition situations – in an emergency, where they are expected to work together harmoniously
Brehmer – no single individual in command of a complex endeavour – so harmony is all csn hope forOrganisations who typically operate autonomously collaborateMaximum a collective can achieveHow to achieve “mutual support”
Elements of a single command refer to Usual understanding of what comprises a commandMission statementGoalsAnti-goalsTime constraintsCommander’s intentExplicit method for achieving crtain goals
Jessica here…..
Important because these elements limit the no. command appraoches available per crisis situationDuring coalitions, such an understanding is crucial so that different orgs can predict what might not work
Responded to Red Cross callCommander gave permission to goGoals most important, most relevantEg of appropriate selectin of intents and goals
John KellerFlexibilitya clear understanfinf of necessary goals and intents, house rules: when the right command structure meets the demands of the systems capabilitykatrina – civilian trapped in a buildingsuccessfully set up command and orgsnised food distribution, protection to all good intending residents as well as ensuring their evacuationsuggest that this particular situation called for a hierarchical, hero emergenct type of command and so the right command structure was chosed in the right circumstance at the right timehis obtaining of power was facilitated by people in the building being scared and seeking an authority figure as a means to relieve them of some responsibility for decision making during the crisis