Organizing to solve complex problems

Joel M. Smith

Carnegie Mellon University

“The need for inter-disciplinary approaches has increased tremendously. The problem frankly is, although we have been discussing it for 40 years, collectively we never seem to get it right.... If we could come up with a series of distilled lessons learned, principles, and action steps that could be taken, then I think we could make tremendous progress.” Alan Leshner, CEO AAAS (2011)

A framework for discussing inter-disciplinary education and

research:

Disciplinary Multi-disciplinary

Inter-disciplinary

Problems defined by a discipline to

advance knowledge

in the discipline

Problems defined by a

discipline that require input from

other disciplines

Complex real world problems

that require integrated solutions

Disciplinary Multi-disciplinary

Inter-disciplinary

Search algorithms

Data security

Improving the quality of life with technology

Models of human

memory

Identifying the neural bases of

cognition

Creatingmore effective

learning strategies

Examples from Carnegie Mellon

Disciplinary Multi-

disciplinaryInter-

disciplinary

Computer Science

Department

Cyber security

Lab

The Quality of Life

Technology Center

Examples from Carnegie Mellon

Disciplinary Multi-

disciplinaryInter-

disciplinary

PsychologyDepartment

Center for the Neural

Basis of Cognition

The Simon Initiative

Principle #1

Multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research and education arises from a shared, sustained belief among the participants that learning objectives cannot be achieved or problems solved without taking such an approach.

Lesson Learned #1 – The pull of the discipline is strong

Disciplinary Multi-

disciplinaryInter-

disciplinary

“Andrew Project” at Carnegie Mellon

Peer education

“Andrew Project” at Carnegie Mellon

Peer education

Pure Technolog

y tools

“Andrew Project” at Carnegie Mellon

Lesson Learned #1 – The pull of the discipline

Disciplinary Multi-

disciplinaryInter-

disciplinary

Principle #2

Efforts to solve well-defined, real-world problems are what sustain multi- and inter-disciplinary efforts.

Organization around real-world problems – QoLT Center

Improve driving safety of older drivers.

Provide older humans meaningful, context-appropriate cognitive assistance in navigating their world.

Lesson Learned #2 – Have a tactical plan to deal with “drift”

Sciences of Learning Center

Effective Instruction

Disciplinary Multi-

disciplinaryInter-

disciplinary

Principle #3

Concentrating on removing barriers to a diversity of faculty and students working together and focusing rewards on providing solutions to complex problems allows inter-disciplinary efforts to grow "bottom up."

Or as Randy Pausch put it:

“The sane universities never went near this stuff, but Carnegie Mellon gave us explicit license to break the mold.”

Pausch, Randy; Jeffrey Zaslow, The Last Lecture

Lesson Learned #3

Carnegie Mellon's tolerance for the creation of “institutes” or “centers” exploring multi- and inter-disciplinary efforts led to a culture of such projects.

We don’t have the time, but...Center for Behavioral Decision Research

Center for Risk Perception and Communication

iLab – Inter-disciplinary IT, Policy, and Management Research

CyLab

Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition

Center for Advanced Process Decision Making

Robotics Institute

Human-Computer Interaction Institute

Entertainment Technology Center

Center for Arts in Society

Center for Ethics and Policy

Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Center for the Design of Educational Computing

Center for International Relations and Politics

Center for Computational Biology

Center for Manufacturing Decision Systems

Center for Sensed Critical Infrastructure

Information Networking Institute

Integrated Innovation Institute

Institute for Complex Engineered Systems

National Robotics Information Center

Software Engineering Institute

Instruction: course topics and design

Disciplinary Multi-

disciplinaryInter-

disciplinary

History of American

Novel

Dissenters and Believers:

Romanticism, Radicalism,

and Religiosity, 1789-1830

Digital Literary and

Cultural Studies: Six Degrees of

Francis Bacon

Digital Literary and Cultural Studies: Six Degrees of Francis Bacon

“As students work in teams to turn unstructured historical data from the age of Shakespeare, Bacon, and Galileo into presentable network visualizations, participants will decide what counts as data, write standards for inclusion and exclusion, design media, develop prototypes, and present findings.”

Principle #4

Problem based learning is an effective strategy for encouraging inter-disciplinary learning.

Lesson Learned #4

Project-based courses and research projects foster an inter-disciplinary approach to problem solving and knowledge organization.

Building Virtual Worlds

Lesson Learned #5

Unanticipated barriers to inter-disciplinary work arise from the fact that it must be a collaboration among human beings.

Our “patron saint” always advocated collaborative design and delivery of

instruction

“Improvement in post-secondary education will require converting teaching from a ‘solo sport’ to a community-based research activity.”

Herbert Simon

No problem, higher education is collaborative right?

Well…maybe not entirely“…collaboration is not widespread in the academy…higher education institutions are generally organized in departmental silos and bureaucratic or hierarchical administrative structures….the culture of the academy reinforces individual work.”

Organizing Higher Education for Collaboration

Kenzar and Lester (2009)

Open Learning Initiative (OLI)

Content experts (faculty)

Learning scientists

Human-computer interaction experts

Design experts

Software engineers

Assessment experts

Students

Specifics on Collaboration from the OLI Experience – Principle #5

A collaboration is sustained only if there is explicit and continued agreement about:• Who brings what expertise to the

collaboration

• Decision making procedures

• How progress is measured

• How credit and rewards will be given

Principle #6

Achieving integrated solutions to complex problems through inter-disciplinary work requires stepping out of one’s disciplinary comfort zone and tolerance for colleagues who are stepping into yours.

Deep collaboration requires:• Respect for the expertise and efforts of all

the members of the partnership• Frank and sometimes awkward

conversations• Resisting the natural urge: “This would go

faster and better if I just did it myself.”• Daily maintenance

Lessons Learned #6 +

Is it “worth” the effort?

I don’t think there is an alternative given the complexity of problems we face.

But Alan Leshner is right, we can only do this collectively and only if we share principles,

lessons learned, and action steps.