Development of the Nontechnical Skills for Officers of the Deck (NTSOD) rating form

Abstract

This thesis describes the need for and development of the Nontechnical Skills for Officers of the Deck rating form. The purpose of the NTSOD rating system is to provide a framework for evaluating the nontechnical skills of U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officers of the Deck (OOD). Nontechnical skills are the cognitive, social, and personal skills that complement technical skills. The NTSOD system supplements the current OOD qualification process by providing an objective and documented assessment of the nontechnical skills of OOD candidates. The system consists of four categories of behavior (leadership, communication, situational awareness, and decision making), which are subdivided into 10 more specific, and observable, elements of behavior. The framework was developed through the analysis of data collected from qualified OODs. When properly utilized, the authors believe that the NTSOD system can improve the skills of OODs, and increase the overall mission effectiveness and safety of the surface fleet by providing feedback on a crucial aspect of OOD performance that is not consistently evaluated across the Surface Fleet.