Conference Agenda

During the last decades, much knowledge has been accumulated about the challenges and problems of inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations, about how to approach the set-up and design of such collaborations, and how to support the processes of knowledge-integration. There has also been a considerable body of research about which mindsets are favourable with regard to people engaging in inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations and about the competences people should acquire in order for such collaborations to be satisfying and yield the expected added-value.

However, something has not yet been investigated, although everybody that has either participated in inter- or transdisciplinary projects or has been in charge of such projects knows the phenomenon through personal experience: the almost magic moment in which someone throws the lever because they suddenly know 'yes, it will work, it is worthwhile to invest time, energy, and creativity in this collaboration', the moment in which the quality and dynamic of the collaboration is set on track towards succeeding in developing integrated knowledge, towards achieving added-value. The contrary happens too – that there is a moment in which someone opts out, the moment of quiet quitting. Such moments are decisive for whether people actually engage in a project or not – they are tipping points.

Tipping points are the critical moments and experiences of significant change – positive ones propel the collaboration forward and negative ones initiate a downward spiral. Tipping points are invisible phenomena, they are very much related to individual experiences, emotional knowledge, and to what we tend to call 'gut feeling'. When we are in charge of a project, we want positive tipping points to happen, and we fear negative tipping points.

By reflecting and discussing tipping point experiences in a project team, the participants can improve and deepen their understanding of what drives successful inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations, and they can develop more effective strategies for fostering productive and innovative team environments.

In a running research project “Collaborative Convergence: Positive Tipping Points of Interdisciplinary Research Dynamics”, we are exploring the benefits of applying a tipping point approach in (individually and collectively) reflecting interdisciplinary experiences, and we are delving into the realm of these critical junctures by examining the collaborative processes within a research consortium (qualitative interviews). The project is a collaboration between the Office for Research Association Management (LMU Munich) and the Research Group Inter-/Transdisciplinarity (University of Basel).

The aim of the project is twofold: we want to uncover and identify positive tipping points of interdisciplinary collaboration (including the factors leading to them), and we want to provide an accessible and easy tool for the self-evaluation of interdisciplinary collaborations. The project is designed to provide knowledge about, and to facilitate the identification of key success factors within interdisciplinary research. One of the questions we want to discuss in ITD24 is whether the approach of tipping points can be used also in transdisciplinary collaborations.

In our planned workshop, we will introduce the approach of tipping points, present empirical results of our project, and introduce the Tipping Points Reflection Tool. The tool provides a set of questions and a methodical procedure to be used in a structured reflection on personal and collective experiences of tipping points in inter- and/or transdisciplinary research collaborations. Participants will apply the tool and we will discuss the potentials and limitations of the approach as well as reflect the tool.

Our objective for the ITD24 is to apply the approach and tool in a workshop setting and to thus gain an additional validation of the approach specifically with regards to its use in transdisciplinary settings. The participants will in turn get to know an innovative approach as well as an accessible and easy-to-apply tool for reflecting upon pivotal points in their inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations. By now, we already know that the approach is suited to uncover deeper aspects of interdisciplinary collaborations and to discuss their impact on team dynamics and success. Hence, participants will engage in reflecting, comparing, and discussing factors that support successful collaboration across different disciplines on a deep level. By comparing key positive turning points and experiences about the dynamics that they have perceived as being crucial for reaching such points, participants will identify critical success factors in inter- and transdisciplinary research processes and discuss how to promote them.

The dialogue-oriented approach that is applied in the workshop aims not only to provide insights into the nuances of inter- and transdisciplinary research but also to equip participants with actionable knowledge they can implement in their ongoing scholarly endeavors. Participants will be provided with handouts explaining the Tipping Points Reflection Tool. As such, directly after the workshop, the participants will be able to apply the tool in their own teams.

Workshop Design

For the conference, we suggest to schedule a tipping points workshop, in order to allow for a dynamic and engaging 90-minute session. Our workshop design is dedicated to reflection, dialogue, and mutual learning. To guide the discussion, dedicated handouts will be provided.

Schedule of the workshop (chair: Antonietta Di Giulio)

1. Welcome and Setting the Stage (10-15 minutes, depending on the number of participants)

• Brief outline of the workshop's goals and schedule

• Presentation of the research team (LMU Munich: Leila Ahmadi & Sabine Toussaint; University of Basel: Rico Defila & Antonietta Di Giulio)

• Short round of presentation of participants

2. Introduction (20-25 minutes)

• Research design of the project “Collaborative Convergence: Positive Tipping Points of Interdisciplinary Research Dynamics”

• Tipping points approach

• Empirical results of the project (exemplary cases from the research consortium which was examined in the project)

3. Exploring the Tipping Points Reflection Tool (35 minutes)

• Introducing the Tipping Points Reflection Tool

• Individual reflection (personal experiences of crucial positive tipping points especially in transdisciplinary projects that include both academic and non-academic partners).

• Group Discussion (sharing and comparing of personal 'tipping-point-experiences', possibly clustering tipping points, identifying strategies for how to reach positive tipping points)

(Number of break out groups depends on number of participants; ideally, discussion takes place in groups of 4-5)

4. Collecting and discussing insights in the Plenary (20 minutes)

• Groups report key insights about tipping points or strategies from their discussions

• Groups report their experience in applying a tipping point approach

• Discussion about suitability of the approach in transdisciplinary settings