A theory of situation assessment for decision support

Fundamental to any decisionmaking process is the identification or detection of a potentially challenging decision situation. This arises because of the identification of an issue or problem in need of resolution. Timing is important in this identification in that the decisionmaker must either monitor the potentially challenging situation for possible later response, or must respond now. This process is called situation assessment and has several ingredients: inputs, models inquiring systems, perspectives, personal profiles, stress levels, decision strategies, learning, and individual versus group decisionmaking considerations. A proposed theory of situation assessment is further developed here through the description of a concept design of a prototype group decision support system architecture. The authors also illustrate the situation assessment theory with an application to an example of fire ground commanders in an urban fire fighting situation.