Multidisciplinary Approaches to Problem Solving and Human Factors

The May-June 2009 issue of The Futurist includes an article by Bruce L. Tow and David A. Gilliam of SynOvation Solutions entitled “Synthesis: An Interdisciplinary Discipline.”  The article highlights, in a world that has become increasingly populated by specialists, the need to more fully embrace a multidisciplinary approach to solving problems.

The article introduces readers to several new terms, including:

• Bridge – “A Bridge is a person who, while primarily employed as a specialist, formally or informally does Synthesis whenever possible when engaged in a multidisciplinary endeavor.” (p. 45)
• Gatekeeper – “A gatekeeper is a person who (formally or informally) acts as an information conduit for others, helping them get quick and effective access to both technical and organizational information in order to resolve problems effectively.” (p. 45)
• Synthesist – “A Synthesist is a person who has made a profession out of the art and science of combining or spanning multiple conventional disciplines or specialties.” (p. 45)

Moreover, it also raises several important points, including:

• “Specialists create unique vocabularies to allow them to communicate more effectively among themselves, but this trend further restricts their ability to communicate with others outside their specialty.” (p. 44)
• “…it is increasingly difficult to achieve effective communication between specialists.” (p. 44)
• “…we have an enormous number of multidisciplinary gaps containing real problems that require – but cannot receive – proper attention.” (p. 45)
• “The more specialization that exists, the greater the need will be for Bridges.” (p. 45)
• “Businesspeople should be alert to opportunities to use Synthesis to achieve a competitive edge in the marketplace.” (p. 47)

As I read the article, several thoughts came to mind.  First, I was reminded of the following quote by Robert A. Heinlein:

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”

Second, I realize that my educational background, professional work, and personal interests strongly align with their definitions of a “Bridge” and “Gatekeeper.”  Moreover, as time goes on, I envision my work will transition more towards that of a “Synthesist.”

Finally, the authors note that “signs of Synthesis already exist in many professions, including: systems engineers and industrial engineers” (p. 46).  Given the overlap of those two engineering subdisciplines with human factors and ergonomics, I would argue that many of our professionals already have embraced the concept of Synthesis in their professional work.  But, human factors and ergonomics professionals should strive to find additional opportunities for doing so in the future – something I’ve called for in a previous post.