Research Incubator: Online Workshops

Successful interdisciplinary teams in digitalisation research
Samuel-T.-Simon-Forschungsinkubator
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Interdisciplinary research (IDR) offers great potential for solving complex social problems, especially in the field of digitalisation research. But what makes IDR teams really successful? In a project by CAIS, WI and bidt, a questionnaire was developed to help systematically assess the quality and collaboration of such teams.

Forschungsinkubator-Expert_innendiskussion

Interdisciplinary research (IDR) is seen as the key to overcoming complex social challenges. Particularly in the context of digital transformation, where technological, social, economic and ethical aspects collide, strong interdisciplinary collaboration is indispensable. However, despite their potential for innovative results, IDR teams face numerous challenges, ranging from lengthy negotiation processes to low commitment to project goals.

A systematic evaluation of the quality of successful IDR teams has so far been lacking. There is also a lack of instruments that are suitable for evaluating the process of interdisciplinary research. Based on three online workshops with 25 researchers from different disciplines from the three institutions CAIS, WI and bidt (Figure 1) and an intensive analysis of existing literature on interdisciplinarity and team science, we have developed a questionnaire that enables the self-evaluation of interdisciplinary teams. The aim is to promote both the self-learning of individual teams and that of the interdisciplinary field as a whole.

Based on the workshops, conditions for success for interdisciplinary research in digitalisation research can be identified on three levels (see Figure 1).


Figure 1: Conditions for successful interdisciplinary cooperation

A detailed presentation of the results can be found in the Working paper.

Silvio Suckow, Josephine B. Schmitt, Sara Saba, Kim Beese, Maria Staudte, Andreas Wenninger (2024): What makes interdisciplinary teams successful? Development of a questionnaire to evaluate interdisciplinary collaboration in digitalisation research (Weizenbaum Discussion Paper #40) https://doi.org/10.34669/WI.DP/40

Conditions for success at the personal level

Successful interdisciplinary teams are characterised by certain personal characteristics of their members. These include tolerance of ambiguity, interdisciplinary curiosity, commitment, self-efficacy and disciplinary expertise. These characteristics enable team members to quickly move outside their comfort zone and appreciate complexity.

Conditions for success at process level

A productive team climate based on trust is crucial for the success of IDR teams. Regular communication spaces, both formal and informal, promote exchange and appreciation among team members. This enables a common understanding of interdisciplinary problems to be developed and ambiguities to be clarified. The quality of communication and the integration of knowledge from different disciplines are key factors that strengthen the innovative strength and problem-solving ability of IDR teams.

Conditions for success at product level

The successful integration of ideas, theories, methods and data from different disciplines leads to a more comprehensive understanding of the problems addressed and to innovative solutions that offer greater added value than the isolated results of the individual disciplines. Joint pilot projects and the use of boundary objects, such as glossaries and methodological overviews, support this integration process.

Conclusion

Interdisciplinary research in digitalisation research offers great opportunities, but often encounters structural and institutional hurdles. Our self-evaluation questionnaire for IDR teams offers an opportunity to systematically address these challenges and improve the quality of interdisciplinary collaboration. It is intended not only as a tool for self-assessment, but also as a basis for developing strategies to promote interdisciplinary career paths and to support IDR teams in a disciplinary science system.

A detailed presentation of the results can be found in the Working paper.