Sensing Teamwork During Multi-objective Optimization

We describe, build, and test a collaborative design environment with IoT sensors to help researchers study engineering teamwork behavior as it relates to design performance during multi-objective optimization. As a case study, we use an instrumented environment to observe engineers designing a fleet of crude oil tankers with the assistance of an interactive computer simulation. Recorded observations include user-triggered software events, simulation inputs and results, conversation activity, and video data. We describe the results of a trial run that demonstrates successful logging and cross-referencing of data from multiple sensor feeds. This work lays the foundation for continued experimentation with larger sample sizes, so that we may answer research questions about the nature of teamwork behavior and design performance.