WholeSoldier Performance Appraisal to Support Mentoring and Personnel Decisions

We present a multiattribute model called WholeSoldier Performance that measures the performance of junior enlisted soldiers in the U.S. Army; currently there is no formal performance appraisal system in place. The application is unique to decision analysis in that we utilize a common constructed scale and single-dimensional value function for all attributes to match the natural framework of model users and based on operability concerns. Additionally, we discuss model validation in both the terms of decision analysis and psychometrics in models that are used for repeated or routine assessments and thus generate significant quantities of data. We highlight visualization of data for use to support mentoring and personnel decisions to better train, assign, retain, promote, and separate current personnel. Last, we address common cultural concerns related to performance appraisals in organizations by offering a method to standardize ratings and hold raters accountable for their responsibility to mentor subordinates as well as identify their performance to the larger organization.