I thought we tested that!: Lessons learned from a team communications field study

This paper presents practical lessons learned for conducting field research based on challenges faced during a complex field study. Communication between soldiers was captured via audio recorders as Army squads conducted simulated battle drills. The communication data provided critical information regarding squad performance in a realistic context that would not have been obtainable in a lab environment. The field study, despite intensive preparation, presented unforeseen issues requiring both short-term and long-term solutions. Issues were encountered with the environment, data collection, and data handling, which were able to be dealt with in real-time because we were adequately prepared. Preparations, challenges with specific examples, and universal lessons learned that can be applied to other field studies are discussed.