Thesis (MComm)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Defence forces around the world are experiencing a period of dynamic change with new force
structures being combined with new technologies in an effort to enhance effectiveness. Present
day resources and technology available to the modern society, have facilitated the evolution of
warfare as a technologically advanced enterprise, with the decided emphasis on the digitisation
of the battlefield. With rapid development in the field of battlefield digitisation there is an
increasing need to address the important issues and challenges facing the military. In order to
meet strategic defence guidelines, it is necessary to integrate the capabilities of defence forces
with modern technology. In this regard the South African Defence Force is striving towards the
digitisation of the battlefield. This digitisation can potentially satisfy the many requirements set
for the Defence Force, in a more timely and cost-effective manner than traditional methods of
functioning and training would be able to achieve.
Effective situational awareness and command and control structures are essential for any military
operation, especially with increasingly complex military demands. Key areas of importance are
the collection, dissemination and management of information, which if executed skilfully, will
result in forces capable of operating more effectively and with greater flexibility. Decision
makers on the battlefield continually suffer from information overload due to the extremely rapid
inflow of information. This is likely to worsen with the continued introduction of new
information technologies. The technology level of any defence force should therefore be
appropriate, driven by usefulness and cost-effectiveness.
The digitised battlefield allows for the execution of near realistic military exercises, while
conserving material and reducing the detrimental impact on environment and personnel, as is the
case with traditional exercises. A key issue of focus is the usability and integration of related
technologies within the digital battlefield. Promoting optimal usability through continuous and
comprehensive user-based evaluation is crucial and will result in increased human performance
through interaction with technology. Optimal usability must be engineered into any product
(defined as something produced by means of either human or mechanical work) from the
inception of the product's life cycle.
Within today's technology orientated society, the digitisation of the battlefield and the usability
thereof have become increasingly important issues. Most research has investigated the concepts of battlefield digitisation and usability in isolation, and little co-ordinated effort has been made to
integrate digitisation and usability, even though the relation is important and necessary. A study
of this nature has not hitherto been conducted within the South African military context. The
purpose of this study is to provide a theoretical background of the issues of military digitisation
and usability, in order to determine the significance of this relation. This research aims
specifically to promote the viewpoint that usability is central to military digitisation, as well as to
emphasise the importance of user-centred approaches to system development and utilization. The
result will be enhanced human performance and satisfaction when interacting with digital
battlefield applications.
The theoretical perspective is provided by way of a literature review of the relevant military and
usability concepts. Military functioning is discussed, highlighting the importance of situational
awareness and effective command and control capabilities. The digitisation in the military is
examined with specific reference to Virtual Reality and simulation. An overview of usability
(within a human-computer interaction and user-centred design context) and usability evaluation
methods are provided.
This research was conducted during a military exercise conducted by the South African National
Defence Force. A usability inquiry approach was followed with questionnaires distributed to
participants involved with the Command and Control Digital Battlefield System. Information
was obtained concerning participants' characteristics, likes, dislikes, needs, and understanding of
the digital battlefield system. The analyses of the information consisted of descriptive statistics
as the research aimed to illustrate the attitudes concerning usability and the digital battlefield.
The results provide an understanding of the perceptions of the users regarding the digital
battlefield system and its usability. Conclusions are drawn from results obtained and
recommendations are made for future research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Moderne weermagte deur die wereld ervaar tans 'n peri ode van dinamiese verandering met nuwe
magstrukture wat met nuwe tegnologiee gekombineer word ter bevordering van
doeltreffendheid. Die hedendaagse hulpbronne en tegnologie tot die moderne samelewing se
beskikking, het meegebring dat oorlogvoering ontwikkel het in 'n tegnologies gevorderde aksie
met die klem op gevegsterrein-digitalisering. Die betreding van 'n era van tegnologies
gevorderde oorlogvoering met die gepaardgaande snelle ontwikkelings in die veld van
gevegsterrein digitalisering, het 'n toenemend groeiende behoefte laat ontstaan vir die
indringende aanspreking van belangrike strydvrae en uitdagings wat 'n moderne weermag in die
gesig staar.Tiit is noodsaaklik dat die vermoens van weermagte geintegreer word met moderne
tegnologie ten einde aan strategiese verdedigingsvereistes te kan voldoen. Die Suid-Afrikaanse
Nasionale Weermag het digitalisering van die gevegsterrein ten doel. Sodanige digitalisering kan
potensieel die talle vereistes gestel aan 'n weermag op 'n meer tydige en koste-effektiewe wyse
bevredig as wat met tradisionele metodes van funksionering en opleiding gedoen kan word.
Effektiewe situasionele bewustheid en bevel en beheer strukture, is onontbeerlik in enige militere
operasie, veral in die lig van toenemende komplekse eise gestel aan die moderne weermag.
Sleutelareas van belang is die insameling, disseminasie en bestuur van inligting, wat as dit met
die nodige insig en kundigheid uitgevoer word, aanleiding sal gee tot die verhoogde
doeltreffendheid en buigsaamheid van 'n weermag. Die tegnologiese vlak van enige weermag
behoort dus toepaslik en bruikbaar te wees, sowel as koste-effektief gedrewe.
Die gedigitaliseerde gevegsterrein maak vcorsiening vir die uitvoering van bykans-realistiese
militere oefeninge met behoud van material en grootskaalse uitskakeling van die negatiewe
invloede op die omgewing en personeel, meer so as wat andersins die geval sou wees met
tradisionele oefeninge. 'n Sleutel-aspek is die bruikbaarheid en integrasie van verwante
tegnologiee in 'n gedigitaliseerde gevegsterrein. Die bevordering van optimale bruikbaarheid
deur aaneenlopende en omvattende gebruikersbaseerde evaluasies, is deurslaggewend en sal lei
tot verhoogde gebruiker prestasie betreffende interaksie met tegnologie. Optimale bruikbaarheid
moet reeds vanaf die aanvang van 'n produk se lewenssiklus, bewerkstellig word.
In die hedendaagse tegnologie-gebaseerde moderne same lewing, het digitalisering van die
gevegsterrein en die bruikbaarheid daarvan, toenemend belangrik geword. In die meeste navorsmg word gevegsterrein digitalisering, asook bruikbaarheid, afsonderlik ondersoek,
onafgesien van die belangrike verwantskap daartussen, en slegs geringe gekoordineerde pogings
is van stapel gestuur om digitalisering en bruikbaarheid te integreer. In die Suid-Afrikaanse
rnilitere konteks is so 'n studie nog nie uitgevoer nie en derhalwe het hierdie studie ten doel om
'n teoretiese agtergrond te voorsien van militere digitalisering- en bruikbaarheidskwessies, asook
die vasstelling van die verwantskap daartussen. Hierdie navorsing het spesifiek ten doel om die
standpunt te bevorder dat bruikbaarheid sentraal staan tot militere digitalisering sowel as om die
gebruiker-gebaseerde benadering tot sisteem ontwikkeling en benutbaarheid, te bevorder. Die
resultaat sal verhoogde gebruikerprestasie en tevredenheid wees wanneer interaksie met
gedigitaliseerde gevegsterrein toepassings plaasvind.
Die teoretiese perspektief word voorsien deur 'n literatuur-oorsig van die relevante rnilitere- en
bruikbaarheidskonsepte. Militere funksionering word bespreek met beklemtoning van die belang
van situasionele bewustheid en doeltreffende bevel en beheer vermoens, Militere digitalisering
word ondersoek met spesifieke verwysing na virtuele realiteit en simulasie. 'n Oorsig van
bruikbaarheid (binne die konteks van mens-rekenaar interaksie en gebruikersgeorienteerde
ontwerp) sowel as bruikbaarheidsevaluasie-metodes word voorsien.
Hierdie navorsing is uitgevoer tydens 'n militere oefening van die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale
Weermag. 'n Bruikbaarheidsondersoek-benadering is gevolg deur vraelyste uit te deel aan die
deelnemers wat betrokke was by die gedigitaliseerde bevel en beheer stelsel. Informasie is
ingewin betreffende die deelnemers se kenmerke, persepsies, voorkeure, afkeure, behoeftes en
begrip van die gedigitaliseerde gevegsterrein-stelsel. Die analise van die informasie het
beskrywende statistieke behels omdat die navorsing ten doe I gehad het om ingesteldhede
betreffende bruikbaarheid en die gedigitaliseerde gevegsterrein, uit te lig. Die resultate voorsien
'n begrip van die persepsies van die gebruikers rakende die gedigitaliseerde gevegsterrein, en die
bruikbaarheid daarvan. Gevolgtrekkings word gemaak vanuit die resultate verkry en
aanbevelings word voorsien vir verdere toekomstige navorsing.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53210 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | De Jager, Madia (Madia Martie) |
| Contributors | Cilliers-Hartslief, M., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 113 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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