Psychologists on a Mission: Embracing the Controlled Chaos of Field Research

Human factors psychology and industrial-organizational psychology researchers carried out intensive field research investigating how future Army leaders interacted with robot teammates during large-scale, realistic military training exercises. Despite careful planning, unexpected challenges such as extreme weather and shifting schedules forced the team to adapt quickly. These researchers share their lessons learned and offer practical advice for designing flexible field research, building adaptable research teams, and testing technologies in realistic environments.