The Environmental Visualization (EVIS) Project

Abstract : Emerging technologies and increasing requirements for precision strike have changed the face of modern warfare. As the speed of command and the amount of information increases, electronic and digital processes must replace manual information gathering and time-consuming data analysis. In order to maintain a competitive edge, the relevant information needs to be automatically processed and tailored in a way that allows the warfighter's "situation awareness" and forecasters' mental model of the battle space to keep pace with each other. This is essentially workflow automation which eliminates the busy data request/retrieval work, yet maintains the human in the decision-making process. The EVIS project is developing and evaluating a prototype visualization capability for air strike and amphibious warfare operations that delivers tactically relevant meteorology and oceanographic information to forecasters and warfighters, including environmental effects on sensors and weapons. This capability has been derived from an information interaction model, which is a description of the information delivery requirements of warfighters. The model is based on cognitive and systems analyses of workflow and visualization processes at shore and ship facilities.