The concept of "performance" pervades nearly all aspects of life, especially decision-making processes that involve human and artificial systems. Yet, it is not well understood theoretically and techniques for its modeling and measurement in all fields have not been guided by any general conceptual framework. Although a considerable body of material known as "general systems theory" exists, the concept of performance has not been incorporated in it nor has performance been addressed in a general sense elsewhere. Most knowledge that does exist about performance and its quantitative treatment has evolved within specific applications, where generalizations can easily be elusive or seemingly unimportant.

General Systems Performance Theory (GSPT) was developed in response to these observations. Its broad objectives are to:

• provide a common conceptual basis for defining and measuring all aspects of any system's performance;
• provide a common conceptual basis for the analysis of any task in a manner that facilitates system-task interface assessments and decision-making; and
• identify cause-and-effect principles that explain what occurs when any given system is used to accomplish any given task.

Some of the more striking features of GSPT include:

• the consistent use of a resource construct to model all aspects of a system's performance (i.e., performance capacities),
• the universal notion of a performance capacity envelope to characterize all systems,
• and the nonlinear, threshold effect associated with resource economic mathematics (i.e., the idea that the amount of resource availability must exceed the amount that is demanded) at play at the system-task interface.

We have been both testing and using GSPT in a number of different ways and applications. It has given rise to the Elemental Resource Model and Nonlinear Causal Resource Analysis described elsewhere on this site.

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Selected References

Kondraske, G. V. (1995). A working model for human system-task interfaces. In J. Bronzino (Ed.), The Biomedical Engineering Handbook. (pp. 2147-2164). Boca Raton: CRC Press.

Vasta, P. J., & Kondraske, G. V. (1997). An approach to estimating performance capacity envelopes: knee extensor system example. Proceedings, 19th Annual Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Conference, (pp. 1713-1716).

Fischer, C. A., & Kondraske, G. V. (1997). A new approach to human motion quality measurement. Proceedings, 19th Annual Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Conference, (pp. 1701-1704).

Kondraske, G. V. (1995). An elemental resource model for the human-task interface. International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care, 11(2), 153-173.

Skubic, M., Kondraske, G. V., Wise, J. D., Khoury, G. J., Volz, R. A., & Askew, S. (1995). A telerobotics construction set with integrated performance analysis. Proceedings of IEEE IROS 95 Conference (vol. 3). (pp. 20-26).

Kondraske, G. V. (1994). An angular motion Fitts' Law for human performance modeling and prediction. Proceedings, 16th Annual Engineering in Medical and Biology Society Conference. (pp. 307-308).

Kondraske, G. V., & Beehler, P. J. (1994). Applying General Systems Performance Theory and the Elemental Resource Model to gender-related issues in physical education and sport. Women in Physical Education and Sport Journal, 3(2), 1-19.

Vasta, P. J., & Kondraske, G. V. (1994). Performance prediction of an upper extremity reciprocal task using Non-linear Causal Resource Analysis. Proceedings, 16th Annual Engineering in Medical and Biology Society Conference. (pp. 305-306).

Kondraske, G. V. (1994). A comprehensive systems performance theory. In R. Cooper (Ed.), Innovations in Rehabilitation Engineering (Workshop Proceedings). (pp. 35-38). New York: IEEE.

Syndulko, K., Tourtellotte, W. W., Baumhefner, R. W., Ellison, G. W., Myers, L. W., Belendiuk, G., & Kondraske, G. V. (1993). Neuroperformance evaluation of Multiple Sclerosis disease progression in a clinical trial: Implications for neurological outcomes. J Neuro Rehab, 7(3/4), 153-174.

Beehler, P. J., Vasta, P., Kondraske, G. V., & Ward, B. (1993). Motor performance assessment using a resource economic strategy: Concepts and demonstration with NFL quarterbacks. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, A-72.

Kondraske, G. V., Volz, R. A., Johnson, D. H., Tesar, D., Trinkle, J. C., & Price, C. R. (1993). Network-based infrastructure for distributed remote operations and robotics research. IEEE Trans Autom. and Robotics, 9(5), 702-704.

Kondraske, G. V., & Khoury, G. J. (1992). Telerobotic system performance measurement: Motivation and methods. In . ? (Ed.), SPIE Cooperative Intelligent Robotics in Space III. (pp. 161-172). Bellingham, WA: SPIE.