The Navy's IT-21 program (Information Technology for the 21st Century) will modernize fleet operations by integrating advanced information technology capabilities into ships, battle groups, and shore facilities. A primary goal of IT-21 is to provide a smooth flow of information between operational units, allowing warfighters to instantly exchange tactical or non-tactical information, thereby improving warfighting capability, combat support, and quality of life.
IT-21 presents a considerable training challenge in preparing the shipboard Network Administrators who will be responsible for maintaining smooth network operations and preventing system failures. Currently, training is not standardized and is not consistently available. Even when training has been provided, the IT personnel on these newly outfitted ships have been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of what they need to know in order to do. As knowledge decay statistics show, the rate at which we forget means that only 10 to 15 percent of what sailors are taught in preparatory training is retained as they transition to performing their jobs (Lippincott, 1997)
To counter this problem, the Navy is moving to modernize its training approach along with its IT infrastructure. Future training design and delivery efforts will be directed toward the goal of performing rather than learning how to perform. To demonstrate an implementation of this approach, a prototype electronic performance support system (EPSS) has been developed for the DDG-51 ship platform. This EPSS provides an intuitive, task- and goal-based user interface to focus and filter access to a knowledge base. The DDG EPSS supports troubleshooting and analytical decision making, displays and explains networking configurations, houses critical policies and guidance, allows platform-specific customization, and provides "just in time" learning for networking concepts and procedures. The fully developed EPSS will provide a continuum of support, being used initially to facilitate and enhance instructor-led training, and then becoming available to administrators as part of the standard shipboard software load.
This paper will present an overview of electronic performance support, how it can be applied to complex work processes, and the benefits that can be achieved through this approach. The paper will also discuss the specifics of the DDG EPSS project, and will discuss how the prototype will be leveraged across remaining ship classes to reduce subsequent EPSS development costs and shorten its implementation.