D.6. Human-to-Human Communication

348. To work effectively in a federated mission networking environment, it is not sufficient to only standardise technical services. A key prerequisite is to also agree a common language, and terminology for force preparation, training material, user interfaces, common vocabularies etc.

D.6.1. Standards

349. To provide federated services the standards listed in Table D.16 should be adhered to.

Table D.16. Human-to-human interoperability Standards
ID: Service/Purpose Standards Implementation Guidance
1: Mutual understanding of terminology

  • Recommended: General terminology: Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

  • Recommended: Specific military terminology: NSA AAP-6, NATO Glossary of terms and definitions.

  
2: General language communication ability of staff working in a federated networking environment.

  • Recommended: Standardised Language Profile (SLP) English 3222 in accordance with STANAG 6001 Version 4

As an addition to SLP Profiles the following proficiency description could also be considered[a]:

For effective voice communications, a proficient speakers shall:

1. communicate effectively in voice-only (telephone/radio) and in face-to-face situations;

2. communicate on common, concrete and work-related topics with accuracy and clarity;

3. use appropriate communicative strategies to exchange messages and to recognize and resolve misunderstandings (e.g. to check, confirm, or clarify information) in a general or work-related context;

4. handle successfully and with relative ease the linguistic challenges presented by a complication or unexpected turn of events that occurs within the context of a routine mission situation or communicative task with which they are otherwise familiar; and

5. use a dialect or accent which is intelligible to the multinational mission community.

[a] Source: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Holistic Descriptors of operational language proficiency (adapted)