Following up on my colleague Maarten Sierhuis' question to the list a
couple of weeks ago, I'm wondering if or where there is a research
literature that discusses the ability of teams to construct meaning from
models (as distinct, but not separate, from the activity of building
models). If there is, what fields contribute to this literature? I can see
social, cognitive, emotional, contextual, facilitative, power-relations,
and other aspects to the dynamics that occur within teams that allow them
to develop (or get in their way of developing) shared understanding of
analytical models that either they or others have built.
The literature I'd be most interested in would focus on the dynamics
within teams that either facilitate or inhibit the development of shared
understanding of models, or that provide techniques for facilitating this
kind of understanding. Most of the material I've come across focuses
either on facilitation and group dynamics irrespective of models, or on
models and model-building irrespective of a team's ability to understand
the models (i.e., understanding is assumed if the job of model-building is
done well, or is glossed under the assumption that teams will "discuss"
the models and thereby (unproblematically?) gain understanding of them).
Any pointers appreciated!
Al
Albert M. Selvin NYNEX Science & Technology, Inc.
Member of Technical Staff Research & Development
Internet: selvin@nynexst.com Network Planning & Engineering Systems
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