NOTE: End date is now 4/30/2015, per NSSC information (Ed., 7/14/14)

The research program represents a synthesis of existing technologies and knowledge, and the advancement of new methods and applications, all grounded in the unique demands of LDSE. We consider team effectiveness as not only traditional task performance, but also, given the LDSE setting and mission, team sustainability and resilience over time. Based on a synthesis of existing research, input from subject matter experts, and new empirical studies, we will recommend evidence-based guidelines for composing LDSE flight teams, identify diagnostic measures to guide preemptive actions, and prototype a self-sustainment countermeasure to address psychosocial vulnerabilities.

gOE has integrated and synthesized relevant research on team composition and developed an understanding of the requirements of an LDSE mission. As a result, we view composition as a co-variate, resilience as a key measure, and debriefing as a countermeasure. We also recognize the potential importance of unobtrusive measurement.

During Year 4, we analyzed data gathered in a lab setting. We also gathered additional data in two analog settings: a) at Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA), a confined environment with teams of adults performing a 7-day or 14- day mission, and b) with a second team of astronauts during a ASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) undersea training mission.

More specifically, we gathered a set of team measures, including new measures of team resilience and living preferences; and tested team self-sustaining debriefs as a target countermeasure.

During our final year of the grant, we completed the analysis of our studies, integrated the results, and summarized the findings. The pattern of results confirmed that the team debriefing countermeasure is a viable tool for sustaining team resilience and in turn, team performance.

ANNUAL REPORT--JULY 2015: gOE has integrated and synthesized relevant research on team composition and developed an understanding of the requirements of an LDSE mission. As a result, we view composition as a co-variate, resilience as a key measure, and debriefing as a countermeasure. We also recognize the potential importance of unobtrusive measurement. Our prior work established the basis for our Year 4 empirical research studies.

Proposed tasks for Year 4 included testing the team composition variables, team diagnostics, and/or targeted countermeasure with a ground based sample.

During Year 4, we made progress on the proposed tasks. We analyzed data gathered in a lab setting. We also gathered additional data in two analog settings: a) at Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA), a confined environment with teams of adults performing a 7-day or 14- day mission, and b) with a second team of astronauts during a NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) undersea training mission.

More specifically, we gathered a set of team measures, including new measures of team resilience and living preferences; and tested team self-sustaining debriefs as a target countermeasure. Preliminary analyses suggest that the debriefing countermeasure has a positive effect on team resilience and performance and is viewed positively by team members.

NOTE: End date is now 4/30/2015, per NSSC information (Ed., 7/14/14)

The research program represents a synthesis of existing technologies and knowledge, and the advancement of new methods and applications, all grounded in the unique demands of LDSE. We consider team effectiveness as not only traditional task performance, but also, given the LDSE setting and mission, team sustainability and viability over time. Based on a synthesis of existing research, input from subject matter experts, and new empirical studies, we will recommend evidence-based guidelines for composing LDSE flight teams, identify diagnostic measures to guide preemptive actions, and prototype a self-sustainment countermeasure to address psychosocial vulnerabilities.

Proposed tasks for Year 3 included: 1) Choose/develop targeted diagnostic and criterion measures for use in the ground based research, and 2) Test the team composition variables, team diagnostics, and/or targeted countermeasure with a ground based sample.

During Year 3 we made progress on the proposed tasks. We finalized diagnostic and criterion measures for our ground based research and we gathered empirical data from three research environments, including a lab study with students, an analog study in a confined environment with teams of adults during a 7-day mission, and a NEEMO undersea analog study conducted with astronauts.

More specifically, gOE developed measures to inform and test team composition, team development, and team resilience. We finalized a set of team self-report measures including the development of new measures of team resilience and living preferences; we established and developed team self-sustaining debriefs as a target countermeasure; and made progress on the establishment of several unobtrusive measures of team dynamics.

In Year 3, we completed gathering data from our lab study at the University of Central Florida (UCF) using college students as subjects. We also initiated two new studies with ground-based samples at both the HERA and NEEMO analog environments. In these three studies we are examining team composition as well as countermeasures to develop and maintain team resilience under isolated and confined conditions. We developed mission specific team debrief content for each environment and populated the DebriefNow tool with that content. We gathered and are currently analyzing data on the debriefing countermeasure from the lab, HERA, and NEEMO samples.

During year 3 we published a study in a top journal (Personnel Psychology) that shows how a guided team-led debriefing countermeasure enhances teamwork and subsequent performance over an unguided team-led debriefing technique. We used that guided team-led debriefing technique in our lab study, and extended and are testing it during our research in the HERA and NEEMO environments.

During year 3 we also drafted a NASA focused white paper on team composition and published an article on team composition in a top journal (Journal of Management).

The research program represents a synthesis of existing technologies and knowledge, and the advancement of new methods and applications, all grounded in the unique demands of LDSE. We consider team effectiveness as not only traditional task performance, but also, given the LDSE setting and mission, team sustainability and viability over time. Based on a synthesis of existing research, input from subject matter experts, and new empirical studies, we will recommend evidence-based guidelines for composing LDSE flight teams, identify diagnostic measures to guide preemptive actions, prototype a self-sustainment countermeasure to address psychosocial vulnerabilities, and develop specifications for an automated, diagnostic-driven, Team Autonomous Self-Development and Sustainment (TAS2) module.

During Year 2, we:

• Advanced our conceptual foundation as it relates to team composition, preparation, and resilience; documented in the form of publications and white papers. We focused attention on the construct of team resilience, as this is an understudied variable with key implications for LDSE mission success. We drafted a white paper on team resilience that is under review by NASA personnel.

• Conducted additional interviews with NASA subject matter experts to ground our research and recommendations in an understanding of current and anticipated needs.

• Developed diagnostic and criterion measures for use in empirical research, including the establishment of self-report, observational, and unobtrusive team measurement techniques. We are using multiple measurement methods in our research and anticipate that both self-report and unobtrusive measures will be needed during LDSE missions to diagnose potential concerns.

• Identified self-guided debriefing as a recommended high-potential countermeasure for team self-sustainment. We published a meta-analysis that demonstrates the efficacy of debriefing and are testing self-guided debriefs in our empirical research as a LDSE mission will stress the flight crew’s resilience and require them to be able to self-correct with far less support from the ground crew.

• Initiated lab-based research to examine teamwork phenomena in a tightly controlled experimental environment. This research examines team composition, teamwork processes and states, debriefing, and resilience. It will provide an early test of hypotheses and allow for the refinement of our diagnostics, debriefing countermeasure, and potential unobtrusive analytics – preparing us for our Year 3 research.

As part of this effort, we have focused on the concept team resilience and drafted an unpublished white paper that is under review by NASA personnel:

Alliger, G., Cerasoli, C., & Tannenbaum, S. (December, 2012). Building Resilience in Long-Duration Space Flight Teams: Literature Review, Theoretical Integration, and Operational Recommendations. White paper submitted to NASA.

The research program represents a synthesis of existing technologies and knowledge, and the advancement of new methods and applications, all grounded in the unique demands of LDSE. We consider team effectiveness as not only traditional task performance, but also, given the LDSE setting and mission, team sustainability and viability over time. Based on a synthesis of existing research, input from subject matter experts, and new empirical studies, we will recommend evidence-based guidelines for composing LDSE flight teams, identify diagnostic measures to guide preemptive actions, prototype a self-sustainment countermeasure to address psychosocial vulnerabilities, and develop specifications for an automated, diagnostic-driven, Team Autonomous Self-Development and Sustainment (TAS2) module.

Year I progress includes: Group for Organizational Effectiveness, Inc. (gOE) personnel conducted an initial kick-off meeting and reviewed the literature to clarify LDSE team requirements. In addition, gOE established connections with other NASA researchers (e.g., other team researchers; sleep researchers) to help ensure integration where appropriate. gOE developed structured interview protocols and initiated the process to conduct structured interviews with subject matter experts (SMEs). In addition, gOE worked on understanding the criteria domain (i.e., on-going crew effectiveness) including traditional performance indices, as well as team viability, adaptability, learning, and resilience. Based on this work, gOE is focusing on team resilience as a critical yet under-studied construct which will be reported in a subsequent white paper.

During Year I, progress was made integrating and synthesizing relevant research on team composition. Based on that research synthesis and results from the forthcoming subject matter expert interviews, gOE will craft a set of initial team composition recommendations. These recommendations will offer preliminary advice about pertinent individual and team level characteristics for forming effective, resilient LDSE crews. This work is also driving the identification of key team composition variables for Year 2 and 3 empirical research studies.

gOE reviewed the literature on team diagnostics and related interventions. Based on this understanding and the requirements of an LDSE mission, we have identified team self-sustaining debriefs as target countermeasures that we will study in subsequent years. gOE convened a panel of experts in team research to provide feedback on our research and identify potential opportunities for collaboration on future NASA research. By the end of Year I, gOE will establish research plans, protocols, and measures for use in Year 2 and 3 studies.

The research program represents a synthesis of existing technologies and knowledge, and the advancement of new methods and applications, all grounded in the unique demands of LDSE. We consider team effectiveness as not only traditional task performance, but also, given the LDSE setting and mission, team sustainability and viability over time. Based on a synthesis of existing research, input from subject matter experts, and new empirical studies, we will recommend evidence-based guidelines for composing LDSE flight teams, identify diagnostic measures to guide preemptive actions, prototype a self-sustainment countermeasure to address psychosocial vulnerabilities, and develop specifications for an automated, diagnostic-driven, Team Autonomous Self-Development and Sustainment (TAS2) module.