Seeing What Others Don't

Artificial Intelligence

The Discovery Platform

Gary Klein Ph.D. on April 27, 2021

Discoveries are very difficult to plan for, but a software Discovery Platform uses general principles to increase the chances of success.

Discoveries are very difficult to plan for, but a software Discovery Platform uses general principles to increase the chances of success.

Decision-Making

Naturalistic Decision Making Tools

Gary Klein Ph.D. on April 5, 2021

The Naturalistic Decision Making community developed a wide array of tools covering knowledge elicitation, training, design, evaluation, teamwork, risk assessment, and measurement.

The Naturalistic Decision Making community developed a wide array of tools covering knowledge elicitation, training, design, evaluation, teamwork, risk assessment, and measurement.

Intelligence

Turning Policy Into Practice

Gary Klein Ph.D. on March 17, 2021

Organizations issue policy statements and then get frustrated when these policies are misunderstood or ignored. Scenarios are needed to put the policies into practice.

Organizations issue policy statements and then get frustrated when these policies are misunderstood or ignored. Scenarios are needed to put the policies into practice.

Memory

Tower of Hanoi: Surprising Lessons From a Classic Puzzle

Gary Klein Ph.D. on February 22, 2021

The Tower of Hanoi is a classic puzzle. Yet a cognitive analysis revealed decision requirements that had previously been unknown—showing the power of the cognitive dimension.

The Tower of Hanoi is a classic puzzle. Yet a cognitive analysis revealed decision requirements that had previously been unknown—showing the power of the cognitive dimension.

Decision-Making

The RPD Model: Criticisms and Confusions

Gary Klein Ph.D. on February 9, 2021

The Recognition-Primed Decisions (RPD) model has been around for more than 20 years. It's time to correct some of the misunderstandings that have crept in.

The Recognition-Primed Decisions (RPD) model has been around for more than 20 years. It's time to correct some of the misunderstandings that have crept in.

Intelligence

The Mental Model Matrix

Gary Klein Ph.D. on January 27, 2021

Many of us think that mental models describe how something works, but good mental models also describe how it fails, how to workaround the failures, & how to anticipate confusions.

Many of us think that mental models describe how something works, but good mental models also describe how it fails, how to workaround the failures, & how to anticipate confusions.

Leadership

The Pre-Mortem Method

Gary Klein Ph.D. on January 14, 2021

How can you get team members who have just collaborated on building a plan to seriously and genuinely imagine ways that the plan can fail? The pre-mortem method does just that.

How can you get team members who have just collaborated on building a plan to seriously and genuinely imagine ways that the plan can fail? The pre-mortem method does just that.

Anxiety

How to Harness Curiosity

Gary Klein Ph.D. on December 3, 2020

Curiosity is a powerful force. But what is it? How does it work? What interferes with it? And, most important, how can we harness it?

Curiosity is a powerful force. But what is it? How does it work? What interferes with it? And, most important, how can we harness it?

Psychology

The Psychology of Political Polarization

Gary Klein Ph.D. on November 1, 2020

One reason for political polarization may be our decision strategy for making choices by trying to get one option to dominate the other on all the dimensions that matter to us.

One reason for political polarization may be our decision strategy for making choices by trying to get one option to dominate the other on all the dimensions that matter to us.

Bias

The Substitution Trap

Gary Klein Ph.D. on October 31, 2020

The heuristics and biases community asserts that people unconsciously replace hard problems with easier ones, but it is the analytical decision researchers who fall into this trap.

The heuristics and biases community asserts that people unconsciously replace hard problems with easier ones, but it is the analytical decision researchers who fall into this trap.

Environment

Anomaly Detection: The Art of Noticing the Unexpected

Gary Klein Ph.D. on October 21, 2020

An anomaly is a violation of expectancy. However, the analytical community uses it to describe statistical outliers, which misses the cognitive dimension.

An anomaly is a violation of expectancy. However, the analytical community uses it to describe statistical outliers, which misses the cognitive dimension.

Artificial Intelligence

Sketchy Sketches

Gary Klein Ph.D. on October 2, 2020

Biosketches describe our virtues and our achievements. But they can mislead readers who assume we have skills and strengths that we lack. Hence: the anti-biosketch.

Biosketches describe our virtues and our achievements. But they can mislead readers who assume we have skills and strengths that we lack. Hence: the anti-biosketch.

Left Brain - Right Brain

Common Confusions About Teaching

Gary Klein Ph.D. on September 1, 2020

Five common claims, such as trying to accommodate learning styles and trying to speed up the learning curve, don't hold up well when carefully evaluated.

Five common claims, such as trying to accommodate learning styles and trying to speed up the learning curve, don't hold up well when carefully evaluated.

Cognition

Changing the Mindset of the Marines

Gary Klein Ph.D. on July 30, 2020

In the 1980s, the U.S. Marine Corps changed its mindset to encourage critical thinking. Here's one of the tactics they used.

In the 1980s, the U.S. Marine Corps changed its mindset to encourage critical thinking. Here's one of the tactics they used.

Intelligence

AIQ: Artificial Intelligence Quotient

Gary Klein Ph.D. on July 1, 2020

As artificial intelligence affects more aspects of our lives, we'll need help understanding how these systems reason.

As artificial intelligence affects more aspects of our lives, we'll need help understanding how these systems reason.

Cognition

The Second Wave of Critical Thinking

Gary Klein Ph.D. on May 26, 2020

Critical thinking doesn't just rely on a systematic analysis of evidence. It can also encourage imagination, creativity, intuition, insight, and curiosity.

Critical thinking doesn't just rely on a systematic analysis of evidence. It can also encourage imagination, creativity, intuition, insight, and curiosity.

Coronavirus Disease 2019

Is COVID-19 a Black Swan Event?

Gary Klein Ph.D. on May 11, 2020

Black swan theory highlights the futility of trying to anticipate rare and disruptive events. But black swan theory may interfere with our ability to cope with such events.

Black swan theory highlights the futility of trying to anticipate rare and disruptive events. But black swan theory may interfere with our ability to cope with such events.

Education

Is Teaching Overrated?

Gary Klein Ph.D. on May 5, 2020

Many people assume that good teaching equals good learning. But that's a flawed assumption. We can get the most learning by encouraging an active stance of self-explaining.

Many people assume that good teaching equals good learning. But that's a flawed assumption. We can get the most learning by encouraging an active stance of self-explaining.

Coronavirus Disease 2019

NDM and COVID-19

Gary Klein Ph.D. on April 24, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is overwhelming traditional methods for training, planning and applying decision support tools. Fortunately, the NDM community has some promising tools.

The COVID-19 pandemic is overwhelming traditional methods for training, planning and applying decision support tools. Fortunately, the NDM community has some promising tools.

Motivation

Can We Train Perspective-Taking Skills?

Gary Klein Ph.D. on February 16, 2020

Perspective-taking skills are critical for all kinds of human interactions. Yet they are rarely trained. Here are five suggestions for how they might be strengthened.

Perspective-taking skills are critical for all kinds of human interactions. Yet they are rarely trained. Here are five suggestions for how they might be strengthened.