Team Member Shared Mental Models: A Theory and Some Methodological Issues

Abstract

This paper discusses the hypotheses that shared mental models enhance teamwork skills, and that superior teamwork skills increase the quality of team performance. Methodological problems encountered in the development and evaluation of shared mental models are discussed. These issues include selection of mental models that teammates should share, methods of measuring mental models, training mental models, and validation of the relationships between shared mental models, teamwork skills, and successful team performance.