CAREER: Measurement and Exploration of Team Shared Mental Models

University Of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst MA

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT PI proposes to study the Shared Mental Models of Teams, the knowledge structures that evolve over time as team members' individual mental models converge through interaction. Shared knowledge structures are seen as crucial for effective performance of project teams. This carefully phased study proposes, first, to establish a potential set of measurable constructs to guide later phases. Next, in Phase 2, to explore the preliminary conceptualization through interviews and observations to validate the conceptualization and investigate the notion of convergence. Phase 3 will develop and validate a shared mental model measurement instrument through a triangulation process of interview, archival and questionnaire data collected from industry partners' teams for comparison (250 subjects). Phase 4 will formulate further research hypotheses based on the earlier work, construct a questionnaire and pre-test it. Phase 5 will expand the questionnaire data collection and analyze the results (100 project teams). A diagnostic tool and associated intervention techniques will be created in Phase 6 based on research results. In the final phase, dissemination of results will take place through a seminar; presentations to participating organizations; scholarly and practitioner publications, and professional conference presentations.