A Multi-Agent Decision Framework for DDD-III Environment*

In this paper, we present techniques for modeling the decision-making processes of a team of synthetic agents operating in task selection and resource allocation settings within the third generation distributed dynamic decision-making (DDD-III) paradigm. The DDD-III simulator provides a controllable, multi-player, multi-platform organizational environment. The paper provides two major contributions. First, motivated by the need for a network of intelligent agents within C2 experimental settings, a brief overview of modeling techniques for the design of a network of collaborating agents is provided. Second, techniques for modeling the decision-making processes of synthetic agents in task selection and resource allocation settings are presented. In the proposed framework, the decision-making processes of a network of intelligent agents are addressed via limited look-ahead, auctionbased scheduling and resource allocation algorithms from the phase I of the three-phase organizational design process. Preliminary results of operationalizing the DDD-based multi-agent-network paradigm are presented in two different mission scenarios. A coordination-free scenario illustrates the basic structures of the intelligent agent design, in terms of stimulus-hypothesis-option-response (SHOR) model-based three-stage decision-making process. The second example, derived from the A2C2 Experiment 8, highlights the potential of utilizing the agent framework in C2 experiments.