Abstract:

Situational awareness and decision-making are two fundamental non-technical skills in dynamic environments. Operating in a military context implies proficiency levels appropriate for the assigned mission, being essential training in real conditions and overcome constraints related to fuel costs, ammunition and displacement of the military and with safety and security. Through the development of situational awareness, the individual assimilates the environment and integrates all the cognitive processes and skills needed to build and maintain the awareness of the situation or event. Without an adequate situational awareness level, decision-making is not structured or accomplished. Good decision-making skills enable individuals to operate in high-risk work environments, with their training based on events or on tactical decision games.

The development of situational awareness and decision-making style was studied longitudinally, in four moments over a year, for a navigation team composed of 24 elements, from the Portuguese Navy, applying Situational Awareness Rating Technique (SART) and General Decision-making Style (GMDS). Results indicated that team training did not contribute significantly for changing the situational awareness level among team members, with a positive contribution for developing decision-making in post-training and post-operational phases).

Keywords:

Situational awareness, decision-making, training, SART, GMDS, Portuguese Navy.