William A. Ross is a founder and Principal Research Scientist at Cognitive Performance Group. His research interests include investigation into the nature and acquisition of rapid cognition skills for tactical decision makers and the application of experiential learning to support the development and assessment of expertise. He has nearly 20 years of experience developing and assessing leader development, which is backed up by more than 20 years of military experience.
Bill combines extensive experience in training and simulation, with a broad background in the application of Cognitive Task Analysis methods to sharpen human performance. Bill also served as the Principal Investigator for research efforts involving highly specialized operational planners. For this project, his team developed and validated descriptive models of expert performance. The outcomes of the project provided the empirical basis for re-engineering and assessing professional military education for the Joint Services. Bill was the Principal Investigator for two award winning applied research projects. He also served as the lead cognitive scientist for the spiral development of the Combat Leader Environment, a prototype experiential learning system for improving intuitive decision making in urban operations.
Previously, Bill was the Principal Investigator for a series of simulation-supported field experiments that assessed future fires command and control as well as developing organizational and operational concepts for network-centric operations involving modular force designs. He has an extensive background in the development of warfighting training and evaluation systems including the U. S. Army’s Battle Command Training Program (BCTP) now the Mission Command Training Program. Mr. Ross completed a career in the U. S. Army where he served in various command and staff positions. He has published several papers and articles on the use of simulations to support training, doctrine and materiel developments in professional journals. He has completed his master’s degree in Business Management and pursued doctoral studies in Organizational Design and Education at the University of Kansas. He has also earned a master’s certificate in Project Management from George Washington University.