ABSTRACT
For organizations operating in complex, dynamic environments, the ability of operational teams to construct an adequate understanding of an evolving situation rapidly is critical for timely action. Emergency medical teams gather information, make diagnoses and take appropriate action in order to save lives (Marsch et al. 2005). When there is a malfunction, nuclear power plant control room crews gather information from multiple systems and quickly piece together clues that pinpoint the source before safety is compromised (Waller, Gupta & Giambatista 2004). Airline flight crews quickly adapt to unexpected weather and mechanical events by reorganizing tasks and responsibilities, and land safely as a result (Waller 1999). Clearly, unless the necessary information is collected quickly and appropriate understanding is drawn from it, the probability of taking appropriate action under such critical, time-pressured situations is severely compromised.
