A data collection and presentation methodology for decision support: A case study of hand-held mine detection devices

Faced with a short turn-around request to characterise several hand-held mine detection systems the authors developed and applied an analytical methodology that was sufficiently robust and pragmatic to satisfy the needs of the various military stakeholders involved yet it was appropriately rigorous and transparent to bear external scrutiny. The methodology can be applied in situations where data collection and analysis must be done quickly while preserving scientific veracity. For mine detection systems considerable uncertainties existed that needed to be characterised including: application, location, operational situation and involvement of human operators. Constraints on the time and expertise available implied there would be difficulties ensuring a sufficient number of trials could be conducted to levels of statistical confidence that would assure appropriate credibility across all of the parameters. This problem was effectively rectified through experimental design and by heavily involving the sponsor stakeholders and subject matter experts throughout the study thus boosting the credibility and acceptance of its results. The process followed involved: liaison with the sponsor, identification of critical issues, measurements in field environments, reporting mechanisms and discussion on implementation and further development. The critical focus was operational capability rather than specific equipment characteristics. A robust data presentation technique was developed to deal with the complexities associated with different needs of multiple stakeholders. This technique enabled the results to be reviewed from different stakeholders’ perspectives, the formation of a common understanding and the results to be reusable in future analyses.