Are We Smarter Together? Examining Effective Collaboration in Groups
Sandra Toze will illuminate her research in the final IM Public Lecture of the year at 1:00 on Tuesday, March 17, in Rowe 3089.
Collaboration is considered a key mechanism for solving complex and wicked problems. At the heart of collaboration is the assumption that many brains will generate more innovative and creative solutions – that we are “smarter” together. In reality, groups do not always achieve their potential, and in extreme cases groups make disastrous decisions. We still do not fully understand why some groups succeed and others fail. This talk will examine a key aspect of group work – how and when groups, working on multiple tasks over time, identify their information needs, find and use information. An information behaviour lens is used to deconstruct group work flow to identify points where information breakdowns commonly occur. Suggestions for better tools and processes to facilitate more effective collaboration during group work will be discussed.
