Establishing Objectives, Measures, and Criteria for Multiphase Complementary Activities

Many diverse types of systems phenomena may be represented by a time-phased sequence of complementary activities. These models are characterized by the requirement that, in general, the initiation of an activity in any given time phase is dependent upon the completion of several complementary activities in preceding time phases. In order to translate over-all system objectives into operationally meaningful concepts for planning and evaluation, it is necessary to establish subobjectives for each of the phases of a multiphase activity, and also for each of the complementary activities within each phase. Subobjectives for each phase should support the achievement of the system objectives, and the complementary subobjectives within each phase should combine to yield the phase subobjectives. Within each phase and activity, depending on the subobjectives, primary and secondary measures and criteria are constructed to ascertain progress toward (or retrogression from) the achievement of the subobjectives. Two particularly appropriate classes of measures and criteria are defined by a (1) time-limit-probability structure and a (2) within-limits structure. It is not always possible to structure subobjectives so that the within-phase and within-activities measures and criteria are concordant and commensurable. Examples of the process and concepts described above are given in the context of generalized countdown and launch activities.