Group 1

03 November 2015

Case 06: Americas Cup: The Tension between Technology and Human
Decision Makers
Case Summary
Oracle or Team USA won over Team New Zealand on the Americas Cup
2013, held at the San Francisco Bay. Yet, the victory was not a smooth one; Oracle
initially lost seven races in a row with a score 8-1 and managed to turn the game
around in its latter part with eight consecutive wins. Although there was a great
leap forward on the advancements made to boat control procedure, it had less of
the contribution to the USA Team winning Americas Cup 2013.
Boat design was improved to a twin-hulled catamaran dubbed AC72s model,
which claimed the fastest model at the time, this was done to enhance speed. In
terms of boat control, information technology played a major role in:
- Data Collection: The boat was equipped with 250 sensors on the
wings, hull and rudder for pressure, angle, load, strain
- Data Analysis: Using Database 11g near real-time analysis using
velocity prediction formulas, software engineers provide advices based on
gather information. Some of which were also sent to Oracle site in Austin for
in-depth analysis.
- Information Presentation: Via the players mobile handheld
computers and captains sunglasses, advices were sent through i.e. advices
on rope load balance, angle adjustment.
Despite huge investment on information technology to enhance boat control,
the result was not a pleasing one. Team USA lost 7 races in a row to Team New
Zealand until then a timeout was requested, giving Team USA the opportunity to
observe that with different sailing angle Team USA at 45degrees (as suggested by
the software) and Team New Zealand at 50degrees, Team New Zealand was faster
on the upwind leg. This surprised the whole team and it was decided that every
player in the team stop listening to software advices and act as conventional
sailors. After the change, Team USA was able to sail faster on the upwind leg and
the game ended with Team USA winning the cup with eight consecutive wins.
Case Discussion
1. How did information technology change the way Americas Cup boats were
managed and sailed?
Boat Design:
From single-hulled catamaran to three-hulled catamaran in 2010 and to a twinhulled catamaran dubbed AC72s in 2013 (AC72 is equipped with hydrofoils to lift
the boat out of the water completely and flying like an airplane).
Boat Control:
From sensing through conventional sailors style (looking at the boat and the sea
and perform adjustment) to relying on Information Technology:
Data Collection and Analysis: Sensors collect the data on pressure, angles,
loads and strains
Data Presentation: Small mobile handheld computer to display the data and use
it to perform the best for each persons responsibilities.
Decision Making: Perform adjustments according to what the software advises

Group 1
03 November 2015

Purpose: For managing massive data, rapid real-time data analysis to get the
quick decision making and results
2. How did information technology impact decision making at Team USA?
Without Information Technology
Decision making of Team USA was based on the captain looking at boat
and seas for clues together with utilizing training experience gained in
order to command the other players for any adjustments to be made.
With Information Technology
Data collection and analysis were done through software programs
where sensors around the boat inputted raw data and were then taken
into data processing using velocity prediction to enhance optimized
speed. For effective adjustments, optimized commands were sent to
crew members though small mobile handheld computer containing
each and every persons responsibility and through sunglasses for the
captain. Computer software is the decision maker by using algorithms
that programmers thought it was how sailing works, rather than
actually looking at the natural environment and using humans
judgment to decide on next actions.

3. How much was technology responsible for Team USAs Americas Cup victory?
Explain your answer.
Technology was not at all responsible for USAs victory.
Those 8 races of victory (rule: first team to in nine races takes the cup) were the
latter part in the race, where Team USA decided to opt out from listening to
software engineers advices, it is clear that technology did not contribute to any of
its victory.

What technology contributed to was the learning that no

matter how advanced it was, information technology was not able to
replicate humans decision making for this certain kind of sports. As
stated in the case, Team USA lost seven races in a row due to inaccuracy
information (advice provided by the software). The software could have
ignored some factors that sailing experts could easily spot and take into
account of that factor to generate optimum advices.
4. Compare the role of big data in Team USAs Americas Cup victory with its role in
the German Teams 2014 World Cup victory described in the chapter-opening case.
The difference was the extent to which information technology was used,
while both cases purposefully utilize big data to improve performance and
strategies, German team was successful at using while USA - they failed to do so.
German Team devised an analytic tool called Match Insights to collect massive
amount of player performance data, and also statistics about average possession
of their own and competitors. This gives information critical for improving players
performance, and was successful because the team took what the software
presented, learn it and improve either themselves or the overall
strategies, not just taking the advice and perform according to what they
are told to. Yet, the extent to which information technology was used for
the USA team was a real-time one where explicit advice was given, none
of humans innate judgment was involved, it devised Database 11g data
management software received input from multiple sensors and generate outputs

Group 1
03 November 2015

as advices for the players. It was clear that the software Team USA used
could not emulate humans decision making.