Improved Performance Research Integration Tool User Guide - Version 4.6

Chapter 1: Introduction

The Improved Performance Research Integration Tool (IMPRINT) was developed for the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Human Research and Engineering Directorate (HRED). This manual describes the professional version of IMPRINT, named IMPRINT Pro. IMPRINT Pro is government owned and consists of a set of automated aids to assist analysts in conducting human performance analyses. IMPRINT Pro provides the means for estimating manpower, personnel, and training (MPT) requirements and constraints for new weapon systems very early in the acquisition process.

Some of the key features of IMPRINT Pro are:

Includes extensive MPT data libraries on existing weapon systems

Estimates operator and maintainer manpower requirements at the system, unit and force levels

Provides task-based analyses that predict changes in performance as a function of changes in personnel characteristics

Predicts performance effects of environmental stressors and sustainment training frequency

Estimates crew workload

Contains mission simulation models that aggregate task performance

Alion Science and Technology, HSI Division, develops and maintains IMPRINT Pro. ARL HRED distributes IMPRINT Pro. For more information about IMPRINT Pro or to obtain a copy of IMPRINT Pro, please contact ARL at [email protected].

What’s New in this Manual

The following list describes new features and enhancements to look for in this version of IMPRINT Pro:

IMPRINT Pro version 4.6 Enhancements

Start Page. A new Start page has been developed and added to IMPRINT. The Start page is now the first thing displayed when opening IMPRINT. The Start page allows users to quickly open recent models, view tips for beginners, create a new model (Operations, Maintenance, or Forces), open a library or plug-in model, and view announcements.

Model Auto Open. When opening an analysis file for the first time IMPRINT will open the first model. For any previously opened analysis IMPRINT now remembers and automatically opens the last model worked on. The Analysis Tree will expand to show which model is opened.

New Model Icons. New icons for Operations, Maintenance and Forces have been implemented across IMPRINT. The expanded library section from the Start Page is shown below with new icons indicating the number of operations, maintenance, and forces models included in each analysis.

JASS Plug-in. A link between the Job Assessment Software System (JASS) and IMPRINT has been developed. JASS is a computer-based survey tool used to define and measure human aptitudes required to do a job. A library of JASS profiles were generated by Alion Science and Technology for US military specialties and are included in the plug-in as well as in JASS. The JASS plug-in allows users to compare high level JASS aptitudes with IMPRINT workload requirements. This allows users to determine procedures and tasks that are potentially not a good fit for a particular specialty.

Ability to customize task nodes based on operator assignment. For each operator users can now specify specific task appearance parameters that are optionally applied whenever that operator is listed as the Primary operator for a task. The task shape, background color, and text color can be set for each individual operator and applied to existing tasks. New tasks will have their appearance changed to match the primary operator settings. This feature can be enabled or disabled on a per operator basis.

Whole Body Vibration tool tip. A new tool tip was added for the whole body vibration stressor that shows the values for low, medium, and high frequency and magnitude levels.

Report Viewer time format improvement. The Report Viewer now allows different time formats to be selected in the data browser.

New Excel formatted Report Charts. All of the chart reports that were previously displayed as embedded pictures are now displayed as Excel chart objects. This gives the IMPRINT user the ability to manipulate and customize the charts. All chart components such as the x and y axis, data series, titles, labels, and grid-lines can now be formatted by the user.

Updated User Documentation. The user manual and help files have been updated to reflect all software changes.

New TARGET Training Effects Plug-in. TARGET (Training Aide: Research and Guidance for Effective Training) is a database of training effectiveness research findings that provides information on the relationships between training methods and performance. It is a web-based tool developed by Alion Science and Technology under contract to the Army Research Institute (ARI) and the Army Research Laboratory (ARL). The TARGET Training Effect plug-in allows IMPRINT users to import and apply training effect size moderators to operational mission tasks in order to enhance the ability to examine the effect of a selected training approach on the trainability of a given system. The data can impact both task time and accuracy. The new TARGET plug-in can be optionally installed when installing or updating IMPRINT. A plug-in user guide and sample model are installed with the plug-in.

Enhanced Specialty Search. Searching the specialty list has been improved by adding an option to hide obsolete specialties.

Change to Expanded Code Boxes. Closing an expanded code box using the X in the upper right corner previously canceled any code changes entered. The functionality has been changed so that now all changes are automatically saved. Users can still use the OK and Cancel buttons to save or cancel any changes.

About this Manual

The IMPRINT Pro User Guide contains the following chapters, appendices, and glossaries:

Chapter 1 Introduction

This chapter contains an overview of IMPRINT Pro, lists the contents of the guide, explains how to use the on-line help feature, and outlines the conventions used in documentation.

Chapter 2 Analysis Overview

This chapter describes the basic elements of an IMPRINT Pro Analyses, including Warfighters, Operational Missions, Maintenance Scenarios, Force Units, Custom Moderators and Plug-ins. The chapter includes a general discussion of the steps involved in creating, debugging, and running IMPRINT Pro analyses.

Chapter 3 Understanding the IMPRINT Pro Window

This chapter presents an overview of the components of the IMPRINT Pro window. It also includes descriptions of the IMPRINT Pro interfaces, data collection, and analysis features and how to move, resize, hide, display, close, and dock the window panes.

Chapter 4 IMPRINT Pro Menu Structure

This chapter describes the elements of the IMPRINT Pro menu structure and identifies the capabilities and features available under each element.

Chapter 5 Analysis Basics

This chapter describes how to create, open, and save analyses, export and import analyses and results.

Chapter 6 Warfighter Data

This chapter describes how to enter the data needed to describe the warfighters that will operate, maintain, supply and support the system.

Chapter 7 Operational Mission Analysis

This chapter describes the IMPRINT Pro Operations Mission module and is divided into several parts, described below.

Working With Missions - This section describes the basics on how to add an operational mission to an analysis.

Mission Network Diagram -This section introduces the network diagram window and how to add components to describe an operational mission.

Mission Components - This section describes the parameters for mission model components: tasks, networks, comments, groups, variables, functions, events, and snapshots. It also describes how to establish performance parameters for the tasks, including time, accuracy, and workload.

Creating Missions with the Mission Means Framework Builder -This section describes how to use an external application, the Mission Means Framework, to enter basic task-type data.  This application offers pre-defined Universal Joint Tasks Lists which may be imported into any IMPRINT Pro model.

Running the Mission - This section describes the settings that control model execution, including speed options. How to check a model for syntax and logic errors is also discussed.

Mission and Personnel Reports - This section describes methods used to analyze the model data and how to create charts displaying the values of variables during execution. How to export and open trace and snapshot data and is also discussed.

Customized Reports - This section describes how create customized reports which display only select columns of data from the existing reports in a combined report.

Chapter 8 Maintenance Analysis

This chapter describes the IMPRINT Pro Equipment analysis capability and is divided into several parts, described below.

System Data - This section describes how to enter the data needed to describe the system equipment, so that IMPRINT Pro can assess maintainability and availability of the system. This data includes Systems, Subsystems, Components and Repair Tasks.

Scenarios - This section describes the parameters for operational scenarios: Segments, Fuel Supplies, Ammunition Supplies, Travel Times between organizations, Spares, Maintainer Availability, and Spare Parts Availability.

Running the Equipment Scenario - This section describes the settings that control model execution.

Analyzing Equipment Results - This section describes methods used to analyze the results data and how to create charts displaying the values of variables during execution.

Chapter 9 Force Analysis

This chapter describes how to predict the manpower needed to perform the routine work done by a force unit. Similar to the Define Equipment module in IMPRINT Pro, the Force Data module operates using a stochastic model which relies on various inputs you provide.

Chapter 10 Performance Shaping Factors (PSFs)

This chapter describes how to use performance shaping functions to affect task time and/or accuracy.

Chapter 11 Custom Performance Moderators

This chapter describes how users can create their own performance moderator equations (stressor and training algorithms) that can be used to affect task time and/or accuracy.

Chapter 12 Batch Execution of Models

This chapter explains how to use the Batch Launcher to execute multiple runs.

Chapter 13 User Defined Plug-ins and PSFs

This chapter describes how developers can create their own plug-ins to extend the runtime functionality of the IMPRINT Pro simulator.

Chapter 14 Expressions

This chapter explains the constants, variables, functions, comments, operators, statements, and loops used to create IMPRINT Pro expressions.

Chapter 15 Built-in Macros

This chapter discusses built-in IMPRINT Pro functions, including Model, Math, and Distribution.

Chapter 16 Probability Distributions

This chapter discusses the twenty probability distributions that are available in IMPRINT Pro.

Appendix A Technical Description of Stressor Implementation

This appendix contains a discussion of the evaluation of human performance under diverse conditions using modeling technology.

Appendix B Human Performance Micromodels

This appendix contains a list of micromodels available in IMPRINT Pro.

Appendix C Impact of Training and Personnel Characteristics on Taxons

This appendix contains tables which describe the various levels that personnel and training stressors may be set to and the type of impact those levels have on time and accuracy of a task.

Appendix D Library Networks

This appendix describes the various pre-defined library networks included in IMPRINT Pro which are available for import in any mission model.

Appendix E Check for Errors Option

This appendix contains a list of syntax errors and fixes.

Appendix F Library Models

This appendix describes the models that are included in the IMPRINT library. It also includes a detailed description of the Drive with C3ISR Library Model.

Glossary

The glossary contains a listing of the terms used in IMPRINT Pro.

Using On-line Help

IMPRINT Pro contains extensive on-line Help to assist you as you work. To display help contents, select Help from the Help menu.

Document Conventions

IMPRINT Pro documentation uses the following terms and typographical conventions:

File names, variables, and program code are shown in this typeface.

Labeled buttons, menu commands, and menu options are in bold. For example, Click OK to close the dialog box.

Information that the user needs to enter is in Arial Italic. For example, enter BO90001 in the text box.

Displaying Version Information

You can view version information for IMPRINT Pro. You may want to know the version number when you are requesting technical support.

To display version information:

From the Help menu, select About. The About IMPRINT Pro dialog box information displays. The version number of the software is indicated.

To close the dialog box, click the X in the upper right corner.

Technical Support

You can e-mail any questions you have regarding IMPRINT Pro to the following address: [email protected]

You can also post questions on the IMPRINT SharePoint site (https:// km3.alionscience.com/sites/imprint/default.aspx).

You must have a valid username and password to access the SharePoint site. Use the email above to request access.

Chapter 2: Overview of Analyses

This chapter describes the basic elements of an IMPRINT Pro analysis, including Warfighters, Missions, Equipment, Custom Performance Moderators, Forces and Plug-ins.

Elements of an Analysis

An IMPRINT Pro analysis contains the following elements:

Warfighters. The Warfighters in your analysis are the different types of people that are required by your Operational Mission models or Maintenance models. Warfighters are broken down into Operators, Maintainers and Supply and Support Personnel.

Operations Models. The operations models in your analysis (also known as Missions)represent processes you are attempting to simulate. Each mission model is comprised of a series of tasks, functions and goals which are connected as a network. When you run a mission model, the model calculates task performance times, implements appropriate workload strategies during operator overload, evaluates accuracy to determine task failure, implements failure consequences, and collects results of task, function and mission performance times.

Maintenance Models. The Maintenance Models node contains all scenarios, segments, systems, subsystems, components and repair tasks required by a maintenance model. In turn, this maintenance model simulates the flow of systems into segments of a scenario and the performance of maintenance actions to estimate maintenance manhours for your system.

Forces. The Forces node contains the force units included in your analysis. Each force unit is comprised of a set of activities (planned and unplanned) and jobs. This information, when modeled, helps predict the manpower needed to perform the routine and unplanned work done by a force unit.

Custom Performance Shaping. The Custom Performance Shaping node contains all user-designed Custom Moderators and Time Moderators. Custom Moderators are user defined personnel, training and stressor moderators for the analysis. Each custom moderator can have an unlimited number of defined levels, each of which contains a user-defined algorithm designed to impact task time and/or accuracy when the model runs.  Time moderators allow you change the behavior of an existing baseline moderator for a specified period of time. Custom moderators and time moderators are unique to an analysis.

By default, when an analysis is started from scratch it only contains the Warfighter nodes. To access the other four nodes, you must begin by adding data in each of the areas as required by your model. For example, to see the Operations Models node and all nodes below it, you must first add an operational mission to your analysis. These steps are discussed in the chapters to follow.

When you save, cut, copy, paste, delete, or import an analysis, all areas listed above for the analysis you have selected are included.

Each of these elements is discussed in the sections to follow.

Warfighters Module

The Warfighters module helps you define the type and number of people (Warfighters) that will be required to operate and maintain the systems in your operational or maintenance models. For each Warfighter defined, you can assign a Specialty, an E-Level, workload strategies and other relevant information. IMPRINT Pro includes pre-defined lists of specialties from which to choose that cover the following four agencies: Army, Navy Air Force and Marine Corps. You may also define your own custom agencies and specialties.

Elements of the Warfighters Module

The only element of the Warfighters module is the Warfighter. A warfighter is any person or automated device that operates, maintains, supplies or supports military equipment; thus Warfighters are broken down into three categories: Operators, Maintainers and Supply and Support Personnel.

Operations Module

IMPRINT Pro allows you to analyze a new weapon system by helping you build models of each operational mission that the weapon system will be capable of accomplishing. Since it is typically easier to describe the mission by breaking it into smaller sub functions than trying to describe the mission as a whole, you build these models by breaking down the mission into a network of functions. Each of the functions is then further broken down into a network consisting of other functions and tasks.

Then, by executing the mission model simulation, you can study the range of results that occur in the mission. A description of the variability of each element can be obtained for further analysis.

The execution of a mission model begins at the level of individual tasks. Each task is assigned an estimated task time, either through a value or an expression. In addition, with each task, you estimate accuracy levels and assign workload values that reflect the amount of effort the Warfighter will have to expend to perform the task. During the simulation, IMPRINT Pro predicts task performance and calculates how much workload each Warfighter was experiencing throughout the mission. In this way, you determine whether the Warfighters were overloaded, and if so, how changes can be made to reduce the workload to an acceptable level.

At the completion of the simulation run, IMPRINT Pro compares the minimum acceptable mission performance time and accuracy to the predicted performance. This determines whether the mission met its performance requirements.

Questions that can be Answered in the Operations Module

How many people do I need in order to perform a set of tasks within my time constraints?

How much visual, auditory, cognitive, fine motor, gross motor, tactile, and speech effort is involved in performing this process?

What is the amount of workload a Warfighter will experience throughout the mission?

Are any Warfighters overloaded?

Is the current task allocation strategy balanced?

How many people do I need in order to perform this process within my time constraints?

What impact will workload have on mission performance time and accuracy?

What impact will automation have on mission performance time and accuracy?

Was the minimum performance time and accuracy of the mission completed as predicted?

Were the performance requirements of the mission met?

Elements of the Operations Module

The central element of the Missions module is the task network. The task network encompasses the following elements:

Warfighters who represent the operators performing the tasks in your model.

Tasks which represent the steps in the process or mission you are attempting to model. Each task is defined by various parameters including warfighter assignment, performance time, accuracy, and workload.

Functions which contain sub-networks of tasks.

Scheduled Functions that contains tasks whose start times are determined from a set schedule rather than the progression of network flow.

Paths which connect the functions and tasks in your model so as to direct the flow of entities running through your model when it is executed.

Goals which represent events external to the network modeled but which can have an impact on your mission when they fire.

RI Pairs, or resources and interfaces used by each operator in the mission.

Macros that return values or perform procedures when they are called in tasks.

Variables you define to represent changeable system states or characteristics, with values that change as tasks begin and end or scenario events occur.

Snapshots that collect the values of particular variables when triggered by conditions that you specify.

External Events that you schedule to occur at specific clock times to change the values of variables.

Charts that display the values of selected variables at run-time.

Cultural Templates that allow for identifying parameters (represented by variables in IMPRINT Pro) that differ from culture to culture and saving user-defined default values of those parameters to templates.  Such a template may then be selected and applied at model run-time to influence the model run with a specific culture in mind.  These templates may also be useful as environmental templates.

Plug-ins that provide custom functionality.

These elements and their interrelationships are shown in the following diagram. The diagram does not show a logical flow of model execution, but illustrates the general relationships between the aspects of a model.

Warfighters

Warfighters define a crew for your model. In an operational mission, Warfighters comprise Operators in your analysis who perform the tasks in your operations model. For each Warfighter you add, you can choose a specialty appropriate to the task the Warfighter will be assigned.

For each operator in the mission, you may additionally set a default flag to indicate that Warfighter’s role in the system as well as a workload threshold and workload management strategy to help model realistic operator actions under conditions of work overload. You can also customize the task appearance (shape and color) for any tasks primarily assigned to that operator. Lastly, you may designate the operator as an automated device if the task is to be performed by a system that does not accrue workload.

Tasks

A task represents the most basic building block in the mission you are modeling.

Task Attributes

Every task you add to your network can be defined by the following attributes:

Time and Accuracy - the length of time this task usually takes and the likelihood this task will fail.

Effects - the circumstances which must occur before, during and after the firing of this task.

Failure - the consequences as a result of this task failing.

Crew - the operators who will be performing the task.

Taxons - the categorization used to describe the workload composition of your task in a way that can be understood by performance moderators.

Paths - the decision logic describing the conditions under which each of the individual paths leaving a task are taken.

Workload Demand - value(s) indicating the relative demand on an operator performing a task.

Performance Shaping - the stressor settings applied specifically to the selected task if the settings are set on a per-task basis rather than globally for all tasks through the main PSF interface.

The execution time for each task varies within the parameters you supply (usually distribution type, mean time, and standard deviation). Additionally, as each task executes it can alter the state of the system with expressions called "effects." Effects are executed either at the beginning or at the end of a task. For example, the beginning effect of a machine task might decrease the number of available machines by one while the ending effect would increase the number by one.

Each task can also check the state of the system before it executes and delay execution until a certain condition, called a release condition, is met. For example, assume you define a variable named Workers that tracks the number of available operators. If you have a task that requires an operator to perform it, the condition Workers > 0 must be true for the task to execute.

Functions

Functions are the primary organizing items of the mission network and represent groups (or networks) of tasks. Functions do not have performance estimates of their own. Rather, they only encapsulate tasks.

Scheduled Functions

Similar to regular functions, Scheduled Functions are composed of one or more tasks. Different from regular function, however, scheduled functions determine task start times based on a schedule rather than the progression of network flow. Tasks start a specific start time relative to the scheduled function rather than waiting for another task or function to complete.

Paths

After adding the functions and tasks to your network to describe the different steps in your model, you must add the paths between them to direct the flow of your model. When you execute a model, an entity starts at the task you designate as the starting point. The entity then travels along the paths(s), executing each task it encounters. When more than one path leaves a task, the decision on which path to take will be determined by the value set in the task’s decision node. Decision nodes are automatically added to a task by IMPRINT Pro and display in the network diagram as a diamond-shape on the end of a task node. Each contains a letter inside of it (S, T, P, or M) indicating the branching logic the entity should follow.

IMPRINT Pro uses four different branching logic decision types: Single, Tactical, Probabilistic, or Multiple. Tasks with Single nodes indicate the entity flowing through has only a single path it can follow at that point in the network. Tasks with Multiple nodes cause an entity to split up into multiple entities so that all paths out of the task are followed; these entities must later rejoin. The paths that the entity follows can vary, however, if you include probabilistic or tactical routing decisions. In a probabilistic decision, you specify the probability of each following task, and IMPRINT Pro selects the path to follow randomly within these probabilities. In a tactical decision, you specify the system conditions under which each following path can be selected. You can define these conditions and probabilities using expressions, operators, and variables that represent the state of the system.

Goals

IMPRINT Pro allows you to model human performance in a goal-driven context. This capability allows you to specify individual goals, the tasks associated with these goals, the triggering conditions, and the interaction of goals with each other and with workload.

RI Pairs

IMPRINT Pro provides capabilities for you to predict and assess the workload involved in performing tasks. This capability is consistent with well-known and documented theories of workload prediction, including the Wickens Multiple Resource Theory (MRT). ¹

Seven default human resources are provided within IMPRINT Pro. They include Auditory, Cognitive, Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Speech, Tactile and Visual. You can add more resources to the list if you desire. Additionally, you can identify specific interface elements (that is, controls and displays) that the warfighters will interact with. If your system design is not yet mature enough for that level of detail, then you can accept the default interface named Crewstation.

Macros

IMPRINT Pro uses two types of macros: built-in macros, which are available to all missions, and custom macros, which you define for use within a particular mission. Both macro types work in a similar manner. You can include the macro’s name or call the macro in any expression. When IMPRINT Pro encounters the macro, it executes the algebraic and logical expressions in the macro and returns a value that can be used in the expression.

Built-in macros include the following categories:

Modeling macros, which perform actions such as starting or stopping tasks, and pausing or stopping model executions.

Mathematical macros, which perform mathematical operations, such as calculating the minimum, maximum, and trigonometric functions.

Distribution macros, which generate random numbers for task execution according to a certain distribution.

Custom macros are particularly useful for calculations or procedures that you want to execute at more than one place in a model.  For example, you might create a macro to calculate machine utilization and use it to calculate utilization for various machines.

When macros are called in IMPRINT Pro, they are followed by parentheses, for example CalculateTime( ). To return a value from a macro, the macro itself must be declared with a return value (for example, an integer).

Variables

Variables are an important element in any mission because they keep track of the state of the system. Three system variables are automatically created for each IMPRINT Pro mission, and you can additionally define variables specific to each mission.

The variables you define can keep track of whatever is appropriate for the mission—how many items are processed, what the current temperature is, or whether a machine is On or Off. Variables give different tasks, goals, and scenario events a way to interact with each other because they can evaluate and modify variable values.

Default system variables include the following:

Clock records elapsed time (in simulation time units) since the beginning of model execution.

Distributions allow access to all the model distributions. Distributions are used to determine task execution times.

Entity includes all the entity variables.

Model is used to control model actions, such as halt and pause.

Task includes all property attached to each task in the network model.

Snapshots

Snapshots provide a way to collect values of variables at specified times during model execution. You can specify snapshots to be gathered at specific clock times (one-time or repeating), when a task begins or ends, or when a model run ends.You can also trigger a snapshot from an expression field using the Model.TriggerSnapshot() command.

External Events

External events provide a way for you to cause events to occur at specific times during mission execution. These can be one-time events, or events that repeat at regular intervals. External events are often used to change variable values, thereby changing the state of the mission. For example, you might have a variable called temperature that would increase at 15minute intervals during the day and decrease during the night. You could then make the times required for tasks such as warming up an engine be contingent upon the current temperature.

Charts

The Chart option allows you to display a plot of one mission variable against another. Since the value of your model’s variables is determined at run-time, the points representing these variables’ values are plotted on the chart at run time as the animation progresses.

Cultural Templates

In IMPRINT Pro, cultural modeling is defined as the application of cultural or country based influences on human behavior or performance within a human performance model. Given a situation with the same physical conditions and the same resources, people from different cultures or countries may react to the situation and apply their resources differently. A cultural difference exists when the average reaction of a population from one culture differs from that of another.

IMPRINT Pro allows users to create and save profiles, or templates, which define the relevant cultural parameters for each culture modeled and the values derived from cultural data that are assigned to those parameters. One or more templates can be defined by the user. At execution time, the user selects the template that is to be used.

The user selects the cultural parameters that are affected by a selected culture and assigns the appropriate values for those parameters based on the cultural data. IMPRINT Pro also allows the user to specify default values for each cultural parameter. The default value is used when cultural data for a parameter is not available.

Maintenance Module

The Maintenance module helps you estimate the maintenance manhours required to attain acceptable system availability.

This module lets you enter properties that control such items as the maintenance manpower pools, the spare availability, and the combat damage potential. These properties, coupled with a mission schedule (scenario) and the data describing the maintenance actions that your system may need are combined in a stochastic maintenance simulation.

Questions that can be answered in the Maintenance Module

How many people of each specialty do I need in order to meet the system availability requirement?

Which pieces of equipment (such as subsystems) are the high drivers for maintenance?

How should each organizational level be staffed?

How sensitive is my maintenance manpower requirement to the failure rates of individual components?

Elements of the Maintenance Module

Maintenance Module elements include Systems and Scenarios.

System. A maintenance analysis is intended to study maintenance manpower requirements for various system types.  Systems are the highest level of equipment factored into a maintenance analysis and are usually items like tanks, helicopters and trucks.  These systems are then broken downinto subsystems. A major subsystem is typically something like an engine, landing gear, or main gun. Next, you decompose your subsystem into components. Components are the individual pieces of equipment that have repair tasks attached. You can enter or edit maintenance data for all repair tasks associated with the components.

Scenarios. A scenario is the set of conditions under which the systems will be used. You can develop multiple scenarios for each system. For example, you might want to create one scenario for a thirty day run and another scenario that contains input parameters for a ten day run. When you have selected a scenario, you can add mission segment data for that scenario. You can add, duplicate, and delete scenarios.

Custom Performance Moderators

IMPRINT Pro allows you to create custom performance algorithms that can be used to affect task time or accuracy. These moderators are similar to the existing personnel, training or stressor moderators but instead use the algorithms you define. Also included are time-based stressor moderators which can modify any base stressor you choose over a period of time you define by a percentage you define.

Creating custom moderators is a way to embed your own experimental findings into an IMPRINT Pro model. To create a custom moderator, simply right click on the top analysis node, select New Moderator from the menu, then select New Custom Moderator from the cascading menu. IMPRINT Pro will create a new node on the Analysis Tree called "Custom

Performance Shaping and add a sub node called Custom Moderatorx".  Double-click on the new Custom Moderator to change the name, add desired moderator level(s), and then create corresponding algorithms for those moderator levels.  Once added, the moderators become available for use in the Moderators settings page for the analysis.

Time Moderators can also be defined that allow you to modify an existing moderator in order to vary the impact for a specific period of time.  To create a time moderator, simply right click on the top analysis node, select New Moderator from the menu, then select New Time Moderator from the cascading menu.  If it does not already exist IMPRINT Pro will create a new node on the Analysis Tree called Custom Performance Shaping and add a sub node called "Time Moderatorx".  Double-click on the new Time Moderator to change the name, select a base stressor and specify the changes desired.

Force Module

The objective of the Force module is to help predict the manpower needed to perform the routine and unplanned work done by a force unit. Similar to the Maintenance module in IMPRINT Pro, the Force module operates using a stochastic model which relies on various inputs you provide.

Questions answered by the Force Module

What is the elapsed time for my planned and unplanned activities?

What is the cumulative amount of time an activity was performed over the course of the entire model run?

What was the status of an unplanned activity during the model run?

How many unplanned activities failed because the minimum number of Leaders, Sub-Leaders and Members required for this unplanned activity could not be met?

Elements of the Force Module

Force Analysis Data consists of the following items:

Force Units. A Force Unit is a group of individuals who perform activities according to a schedule.

Schedule. A Schedule is a pre-defined sequence of activities, planned and unplanned, over a specific amount of time.

Planned Activity. A planned activity is a routine task. Examples may include guard duty, hygiene, eating and sleeping.

Unplanned Activity. An unplanned activity is an activity which interrupts a normal schedule. Examples may include fire and emergency.

Activities Priority List. The Activity Priority List is used to set task priority within a schedule for when any two activities compete for identical resources.

Jobs. Jobs are individuals who are distinguished by the types of functions they can perform within a force unit.  A job is defined by a name, specialty, rank and role. Examples may include Driver, Navigator and Firefighter-EMT.

Job Role.  The method by which a job contributes to a Force Unit.  In some cases a job and a job role may be identical.  However, a job and a role may differ if a job is capable of fulfilling more than one role in a force unit, for example a job called Company Officer may be able to fulfill the roles of Company Officer, Engineer or Firefighter-EMT where required, although a job may only ever fulfill one role at a time.

Assets.  The means of conveyance for bringing needed equipment or features to an unplanned activity.  An asset feature may be thought of as an apparatus in some industries.

Asset Features.  The various pieces of equipment that are carried by or the features of an asset which determine that asset’s usefulness for addressing the unplanned activity.

Plug-ins

IMPRINT Pro contains a powerful plug-in interface that allows developers to extend the runtime functionality of the simulator. This API provides extensibility and flexibility that far exceed the External Model Call functionality of IMPRINT 7, yet is much easier to create, debug and use.

Using plug-ins in a model is simply a matter of calling a method defined on a plug-in object, passing to it those values desired, and using the result (if any). This can be done from any code window in the program: Effects, Release Conditions, or Expressions. Any public method defined in the plug-in class will be available to all analyses in IMPRINT Pro. Any use of a plug-in method will be checked for type compatibility by the Syntax Checker, so that modelers will know immediately if there are problems with their code.

Chapter 3: Understanding the IMPRINT Pro Window

IMPRINT Pro uses a modified form of the MDI (Multiple Document Interface) made available by Microsoft .NET Framework. MDI provides a parent container window that contains several other different window panes. This configuration allows you to reposition windows into logical working groups and to temporarily hide windows that you are not using. The IMPRINT Pro window is highly configurable, and changes to these configurations are preserved until the next time they are modified.

In this chapter, we describe methods you can use to navigate through the IMPRINT Pro interface, and customize the layout so that it meets your model needs and user preferences.

IMPRINT Start Page

The Start Page will appear automatically when IMPRINT Pro launches.

The Start page gives you a quick way to open your most recent model files. It also shows a list of library and plug-in models. If you are connected to the Internet announcements related to IMPRINT Pro will display at the bottom of the page.

To open a recent model simply click on the filename that is displayed in the far left pane under the Recent label. To open a model not displayed click on the Open Other Documents link at the bottom of the left pane.

To view the library models click the down facing arrow next to the IMPRINT Pro Library or Plugin Library label. The names of the library analyses along with icons indicating the type of models included are displayed. Click on the name of an analysis to open it.

After selecting a model to open or creating a new model, the Start page will close. If you wish to bring it back click the Show Start Page option under the Help menu or under the View menu, select Windows, then Start Page.

IMPRINT Pro Window Overview

The default configuration for the IMPRINT Pro window consists of a container window with a title bar, menu bar, tool bar, and status bar. Within this container, the following elements exist as separate window panes: Analysis Tree, Windows, Network Diagram, Properties Window, Palette, Event Queue, Search and Replace, Output, and Variable Watches.

Note: Many of the windows are blank until you open an analysis. To open an analysis, from the File menu select Open Analysis or Open Library Analysis, then select the desired analysis from the dialog box that displays.

You can move, resize, hide, and dock many of the windows. You may want to use different configurations during different stages of model development. You may save up to three customized layouts at any one time that you may switch at the click of a button. Customized layouts always save in their last-modified state until they are once again modified or reset to the default IMPRINT Pro configurations

The following illustration shows the components of the IMPRINT Pro window. Each of these components is described in greater detail in the remaining sections of this chapter.

IMPRINT Pro Window Components

This section describes the window components in the main IMPRINT Pro window. For details on resizing, moving, hiding, and docking the windows, see Manipulating Windows.

Title Bar

The title bar displays at the very top of the IMPRINT Pro window and contains the name of the currently open analysis. It displays Untitled.imprint for new or unsaved analyses.

Menu Bar

The menu bar displays below the title bar at the top of the IMPRINT Pro window and contains the File, Edit, View, Reports, Tools, Utilities, and Help menus. After opening your mission, scenario or force unit, the expanded menu will display the additional menus of PSFs and Execution.

File. The File menu includes the following basic commands: New Analysis, Open Analysis, Open Library Analysis, Recent Files, Import Data From, Save Analysis, Save As, Print and Exit.

Edit. The Edit menu includes basic edit commands such as Undo, Redo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Copy Diagram as Image, Clear Output and Preferences.

View. The View menu contains command Diagram Zoom to zoom the network display (Operations only), the Windows command to display different windows, and Layout to either choose a new layout or reset the currently-selected screen layout.

Execution. The Execution menu includes commands for controlling execution, such as Begin, Pause, Step, Halt and Abort Simulation. It also includes Check for Errors, an option to run a syntax check on your model, and Settings, an option to adjust run-time execution settings.

PSFs. Selectingthe PSFs menu causes IMPRINT Pro to open the Performance Shaping window where you can turn on/off PSFs and adjust settings.

Reports. The Reports menu includes options for generating detailed reports which display the results of your model run. Options include Operations Results, Maintenance Results, Force Results, and Cross Analysis Report. All reports display in a Microsoft Excel format. The menu also includes the Disable Reports option to disable the post-processing of report data for display which may aid in the time required to process a simulation.

Tools. The Tools menu includes commands to display additional tools which may be helpful when configuring your model’s tasks. Tool options include Accuracy Calculator, Micromodels, Syntax Helper, and Unit Conversions windows. There is also a link to the Medical Cost Avoidance Model (MCAM).

Utilities. The Utilities menu includes commands for enabling Display Trace, Display Charts, Network Animation and Update Comment Variables. Commands for controlling the network nodes in the diagram (Alignment, EnableSnap to Grid) also appear in this menu. The Create Maintenance Excel Template option opens the maintenance template for creating maintenance repair task data to later import into a maintenance model. The Run Version 4 Converter option allows you to manually convert any version 3.5 and earlier databases to the version 4.5 .imprint files. The same converter runs the first time your software is updated to 4.1 or later. However, you may use this option to manually convert the files at a later time if you wish to do so. Files which have been converted once do not usually need to be converted again. The Create Sanitized Analysis Copy allows you to create a generic version of your model that can be shared with others for technical support or debugging purposes without exposing sensitive data.

Help. The Help menu contains the About command to display version information and the Help command to open on-line help. This menu also contains the Manage License option for entering license keys to enable purchased Animator2D and/or Animator3D functionality.

Tool Bar

The IMPRINT Pro tool bar displays below the menu bar and provides quick access to commonly used commands. Each command displays as a button on the tool bar which may be clicked to access the command. By default the Tool Bar is divided into several sections, split by small notches in the Tool Bar:

The FileSystem section includes buttons for new, open, and save.

The Copy, Cut, and Paste section includes buttons to copy, cut and paste nodes, text and code.

The Undo and Redo section includes buttons to undo and redo the last change made to the analysis.

The Execution section includes buttons to use in mission simulation, such as checking for errors, starting, pausing, stepping, and halting mission execution.

The Layout section includes buttons for Custom Layout 1, Custom Layout 2, and Custom Layout 3.

The Tools section includes buttons for the Accuracy Calculator and Unit Conversions tool. It also contains the Micromodels tool for accessing human performance models and Syntax Helper for accessing sample code formats which may be used in effects, macros and other code windows.

The Execution Settings section includes a single button for accessing Execution Settings for running the model.

The Performance Shaping section includes a single button for accessing PSF moderators.

As you move the pointer over each button, a tooltip displays the corresponding command name and the associated shortcut key, if available.

Windows

The IMPRINT Pro windows are all items in the IMPRINT Pro interface other than the Title Bar, Menu Bar and Tool Bar. These windows are used for selecting application options, entering data or displaying data.

Select Windows from the View menu to display the windows described below.

Windows Pane

The Windows pane contains a list of all windows available for display in IMPRINT Pro. Similar to the Tool Bar, the Windows Pane is intended to provide quick access to commonly viewed windows through icons which may be clicked to access the desired window(s).

Available windows include the Analysis Tree, Animator, Animator3D (if purchased), Event Queue, Network Diagram, Output, Palette, Properties, Search and Replace, Variable Watches, Animator Tree View (if purchased), and Start Page. Listings may also be found for windows supporting various plug-ins, depending on the plug-ins installed.

In the default configuration, the Windows Pane displays on the left side of the IMPRINT Pro container window - below the Analysis Tree.

Windows are described in the following sections.

Analysis Tree Window

The Analysis Tree window displays all nodes corresponding to a single analysis when one is loaded. For a brand new analysis the list of nodes defaults to Warfighters, below which are the Operators, Maintainers and Supply and Support Personnel nodes.

As operational mission models, maintenance scenarios and force units are added to the analysis, the Analysis Tree expands to display the Operations Models, Maintenance Models and Force Models nodes, below which are nodes to support those types of models.

As Custom Moderators are added to the analysis, a new overall Custom Performance Shaping node appears, under which nodes corresponding to the various types of moderators you choose to add to your model appear.

Lastly, as user-defined plug-ins are added to the IMPRINT Pro directory, an Installed Plug-ins node appears which lists all recognized plug-ins.

To expand a node in the tree view, click the plus sign + adjacent to the item. To collapse a node, click the minus - sign adjacent to the item.

To select an item in the tree, left-click the item with the mouse. To select multiple items in a row, click the first and last items in the desired subset while holding down the shift key. Multiple items which are not grouped together may be selected simultaneously by clicking each item while holding down the control key.

Palette Window

The Palette displays the tools used to construct the network diagram. These tools consist of network node objects made to represent the six optional items you may add to your network diagram: tasks, functions, scheduled functions, goals, comments and workload monitors. To add one of these items to the network diagram, click the item in the Palette window and drag it onto the network diagram window. You can then enter its defining parameters in the Properties window.

Descriptor Window

The Descriptor window is the large portion of space located in the middle of Layout 1. This space is where the Network Diagram normally appears by default, along with any other informational tabs and windows that open when their nodes are double-clicked in the Analysis Tree.

Network Diagram Window

The Network Diagram displays the graphical depiction of the task network developed under the Mission module. Use this window in conjunction with the Palette to construct the task network diagram and view the mission model execution.

Animator

The Animator window displays a built-in two dimensional graphical depiction of your model as it executes. The data displayed in the Animator window depends on the model type you choose to run:

Operations model. The Animator window displays bar charts of workload by operator which continually update as the model runs. Information displayed includes Maximum Workload, Number of Active Tasks and Active Workload Strategy.

Animator Window - Operations Module

Maintenance model. The Animator window displays Queue Data, Combat Data, Shift Manning, Maintenance Summary,

Reliability and Availability, Clock, and Day data. At the bottom of the animation a graphic of a tank shows the progress of the model along a Percent of Time Elapsed bar.

Animator Window - Maintenance Module

Each time you begin a simulation, data from the previous run will clear and the simulation will begin to display new information. If you halt the model, a dialog will display that tells you no reports will be available.

To view animation during a model run:

Display the Animator window by clicking the Animator icon in the Windows pane (by default on the left-hand side of your IMPRINT Pro application). Alternatively, you can display this window or by choosing Animator from the Windows option under the View menu.

From the Execution menu, select the Settings option. In the dialog which appears, for Operations Settings, check the 2DAnimation box (do not check the Custom box). For Maintenance Settings check the Animation On box.

From the Utilities menu, enable the Display Trace option. By choosing to display the full trace of the model execution in the Output window, the Animator window updates more frequently during the course of the model run.

Run the model.

The Animator window updates as the model runs.

To zoom the animation:

Zoom in or out one of the following ways:

To pan the animation:

Pan the animation one of the following ways:

Note: Running the model with Animator on will slow down the model execution

Properties Window

The Properties window displays the properties of any item selected in the network diagram such as a task, function or goal. It also displays the properties of items that you select in the Analysis Tree, for example: analyses, missions, variables, macros, scenario events, and snapshots. The properties that display in the Properties window also display in the dialog box for the associated item.

The Properties window functions like any folder list. To expand or collapse an item, click the adjacent triangle adjacent to the folder item.

Some of the fields in the Properties window have an associated drop-down list box. To display the list box, click in the text box, and a drop-down arrow displays. Click the arrow, and a selection list appears. A detailed description of any selected item automatically displays at the bottom of the Properties window.

Output Window

The Output window displays the trace of the execution which consists of all actions that just finished occurring in the model run. The clock times for beginning effects, ending effects, and scenario events are listed if Display Trace is turned on under the Utilities menu. Application errors, plug-in loading errors, and the start and end of a simulation are also included. Any syntax errors are indicated and can be used for debugging purposes. You can save the information in the Output window to a file or to the Windows clipboard. You can also clear the information in the window before running a new simulation.

Variable Watches Window

The Variable Watches window displays the values of variables during model execution. You select the variables that you want to display by creating a watch for the variable. The variable name, value, and type display. For variables designated as arrays, indices display in the Index(es) field.

To add a Variable Watch:

Click the Variable Watches tab in the lower right-hand corner of the IMPRINT Pro window.

Click the Add Watch button. A new variable watch line appears in the Variable Watches window.

Under the Variable column, click the cell containing the variable name - a drop-down arrow appears. Click the drop-down arrow to access a list of variables in your mission. Select the variable whose values you wish to view.

Run the model.

The variable type and values display in the cells to the right and continue to update as the model runs.

Event Queue Window

The Event Queue window displays the list of events as they occur during model execution. These include the execution of tasks and scheduled events. You create the scheduled events for the simulation. Scheduled events can be one-time events or they can repeat at regular intervals. The type of event, ID, Group, Tag, and Time displays. Suspended events are shown below the event queue list.

Beginning effects are highlighted in navy, ending effects are in green, suspended beginning effects are in blue, and suspended ending effects are in lime. Waiting without queue is in red, scenario events are in yellow, and snapshots are in maroon.

Search and Replace

The Search and Replace window allows you to locate a string of text in the model. You may then choose to replace select instances of that string with a new string you specify. You can search the entire analysis that is currently loaded or just a portion of it.

For every analysis, you can start by searching the following areas:

Agencies and Specialties

Warfighters

Next, depending on the models types you choose to search, you will then be presented with a list of components to refine your search parameters. The following fields may be searched for the model types listed:

Operations: Missions; Tasks, Functions and Goals; RI Pairs,

Resources and Interfaces; Macros; Variables; Snapshots; External Events; Charts; Custom Reports and Cultural Templates.

Maintenance model: Systems, Subsystems, Components, Repair Tasks, Scenarios and Segments.

Force model: Force Units, Schedules, Jobs and Assets and  Planned Activities and Unplanned Activities.

Custom Moderators

To search for text:

Open the Search and Replace window.

In the Find What field, type in the text you wish to find in the model.

In the Look In field, click