MAP-01-011 HFI Technical Guide - Human Factors Integration ...

Chapter 5 – Team Organisation5.1.3.2 Combat System User RolesA user role consists of a set of responsibilities and tasks undertaken by anindividual in relation to a specific system. The general responsibilities and tasksassigned to a user role may vary depending on the mission of the vessel and itsprime state (action, defence etc.) at a particular time during a mission. Thespecific responsibilities and tasks executed by a user role will depend on theactual conditions and events as they occur during an operational scenario. Userrole definition is an important activity during the development or modification of aCombat System. The user roles that are defined must be compatible with thenature of the jobs that exist in the user organisation – a job is the grouping ofduties and responsibilities (mainly derived from the full range of roles that may beperformed) into recognisable posts in the Branch structure of the RN. If userroles are defined which do not match the capabilities of the available personnelthen two things must be done:HFI Technical Issues• The HFI Focus must liaise with the Principal Personnel Officer (PPO) toensure that future user roles will be supportable in the user organisation.• The nature of the mismatch must be investigated to determine what actioncan be taken by the project, e.g. investigate possible trade-offs betweenthe user role definitions and training, or consider the use of moreautomation.5.1.3.2.1 Relevant Characteristics of the Combat System UsersThe Command Team on a surface vessel will include:• The Captain.• Warfare Officers.• Officer of the Watch.• Ratings (including picture supervisors, compilers, signallers andoperator/maintainers).• Weapons Engineering Officer.The following characteristics of the roles performed by these personnel arerelevant to the design of the Combat System, the titles of some posts aredifferent on submarines but similar principles will apply:• The Captain may station himself in the Operations compartment to fight thevessel. He may choose to direct warfare or other functions or delegatethese and only intervene if required to veto decisions. When absent,responsibility is delegated to a Principal Warfare Officer.• Warfare officers will take responsibility for the conduct of operations in aparticular environment (air, surface and sub-surface).• Command functions may be delegated to a lower level to increase speedof response, e.g., to the Missile Director or the Electronic Warfare Director.• The Officer of the Watch is stationed on the Bridge and is responsible forsafe manoeuvring of the vessel, sometimes under direct control from theNov 2006 Page 5-5 Issue 4