How do Submarine Force trainers use computer-based navigation trainer systems? Applying cluster analysis to examine situated objectives in the employment of adaptive CBT

• A jobs to be done analysis examined CBT technology use across Navy stakeholders.
• Submarine navigation trainers are used for learning, practice, and assessment.
• A single training technology is used to achieve multiple goals in various contexts.
• Data show that stakeholders use already deployed technologies for multiple goals.
• This cluster analysis informs best practices for versatile use of CBT technologies.

A “jobs-to-be-done” analysis was conducted to inform training and assessment techniques in support of an Office of Naval Research funded project involving U.S. submarine navigation training. In order to maximize the return on investment in training expenditures, a jobs-to-be-done analysis ensures that the transition of technologies supports critical organizational needs and objectives, particularly when the utilization of a single technology is employed to achieve various goals. The current study investigated the jobs-to-be-done by the navigation trainer across various organizational stakeholders, using data from 481 training events representing every recorded navigation trainer use in the U.S. Submarine Force during a typical training month. Each of the training activity clusters (Schoolhouse, Commander, Responsive, Staff training) revealed a specific organizational context and utilization goal. These clusters illustrate the repurposing of the same technology tool across different user groups, in order to accomplish the various purposes or jobs required by the fleet, including learning, practice, and assessment; the cluster analysis provided a rich description of how the trainer was being used in each job context. This jobs-to-be-done analysis identifies how stakeholders are using already-deployed technologies and capabilities across a variety of situated contexts, and informs best practices for versatile use of CBT technology tools.