Mapping minds: geometry of cognitive distance in interdisciplinary design teams

In interdisciplinary built environment projects, cognitive distances between team members can hinder effective collaboration and project success. This study proposes a method for mapping and measuring these cognitive distances using natural language processing techniques. The study used a case study to develop the measurement metrics and four interdisciplinary design teams consisting of 28 master's students from the disciplines of architecture, civil engineering, environmental design, and historic preservation. The findings highlight that cognitive distance is a multi-dimensional indicator, emphasizing conceptual diversity in breadth and complexity of thinking in length. At the same time, the study concludes that visualizing cognitive distance is important for facilitating innovative interdisciplinary collaboration, and that future research could build on this methodology to conduct empirical studies to systematically assess teams’ multidimensional cognitive distance in order to facilitate collaboration and improve overall project performance.