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ObjectiveThis review and synthesis examines approaches for measuring and assessing team coordination dynamics (TCD). The authors advance a system typology for classifying TCD approaches and their applications for increasing levels of dynamic complexity. BackgroundThere is an increasing focus on how teams adapt their coordination in response to changing and uncertain operational conditions. Understanding coordination is significant because poor coordination is associated with maladaptive responses, whereas adaptive coordination is associated with effective responses. This issue has been met with TCD approaches that handle increasing complexity in the types of TCD teams exhibit. MethodA three-level system typology of TCD approaches for increasing dynamic complexity is provided, with examples of research at each level. For System I TCD, team states converge toward a stable, fixed-point attractor. For System II TCD, team states are periodic, which can appear complex, yet are regular and relatively stable. In System III TCD, teams can exhibit periodic patterns, but those patterns change continuously to maintain effectiveness. ResultsSystem I and System II are applicable to TCD with known or discoverable behavioral attractors that are stationary across mid-to long-range timescales. System III TCD is the most generalizable to dynamic environments with high requirements for adaptive coordination across a range of timescales. ConclusionWe outline current challenges for TCD and next steps in this burgeoning field of research. ApplicationSystem III approaches are becoming widespread, as they are generalizable to time- and/or scale-varying TCD and multimodal analyses. Recommendations for deploying TCD in team settings are provided.
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Complexity leadership in action: a team science case study
IntroductionThis team science case study explores one cross-disciplinary science institute's change process for redesigning a weekly research coordination meeting. The narrative arc follows four stages of the adaptive process in complex adaptive systems: disequilibrium, amplification, emergence, and new order. MethodsThis case study takes an interpretative, participatory approach, where the objective is to understand the phenomena within the social context and deepen understanding of how the process unfolds over time and in context. Multiple data sources were collected and analyzed. ResultsA new adaptive order for the weekly research coordination meeting was established. The mechanism for the success of the change initiative was best explained by complexity leadership theory. DiscussionImplications for team science practice include generating momentum for change, re-examining power dynamics, defining critical teaming professional roles, building multiple pathways towards team capacity development, and holding adaptive spaces. Promising areas for further exploration are also presented.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2118240
- PAR ID:
- 10530260
- Publisher / Repository:
- Frontiers
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics
- Volume:
- 8
- ISSN:
- 2504-0537
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- Complexity leadership Research coordination cross-disciplinary science institutes and centers team science complex adaptive systems
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.3389/frma.2023.1211554
