Normative exercising: An analytical and evaluative aid in system design

A dynamic simulation of a man-machine information system has been developed to provide analytical and evaluative aids in system design, implementation, and verification. This form of on-site simulation is called “Normative Exercising,” because of its two distinguishing characteristics: 1) specification in advance of preferred problem solutions; 2) guidance of player performance into paths which will lead to the preferred solution of the exercise problem. Real-time exercising of a system is accomplished by controlling the informational inputs to the system through a Simulation Control (SIMCON) team made up of nonplayers. Performance evaluation is obtained by comparing the actual events of the exercise with the normative solution paths. It is expected that Normative Exercising will lead to a methodological approach to the structure and manipulation of information in a command and control system as well as the human capacity to function as a problem-solver and decision-maker.