Toward a Fuzzy Theory of Performance Measurement

This report offers an alternative method for evaluating military unit performance. Fuzzy set theory is presented as a formal model of language expressions used in value judgments made by military experts. Further, it is suggested that fuzzy set theory may be used to connect the automated or instrumented physical measures taken from unit exercises with subjective judgments of expert military observers who interpret events in the framework of accepted concepts and principles of effective ground operations. Finally, the report documents a case study of a military domain of constructs wherein a sample of commanders identify three dimensions of communication and the semantic networks used to judge reports on these dimensions. The networks provide a sample group of interrelated terms that can be used to investigate the validity of fuzzy set operations for representing how expert observers describe and quantify aspects of communication performance.