Unbundling Assumptions: Collaboration as Innovation

Invited talk given to University of North Texas' Advanced Environmental Research Institute on how to collaboration across disciplines. Presented on March 28, 2024.

Transcript

1. curiosity, everywhere · cassini nazir U N B I N L D N U Cassini Nazir Assistant Professor College of Visual Arts and Design University of North Texas G COLLABORATION AS INNOVATION A S S U M P T I O N S Better Together: Urban Nature · UNT Advanced Environmental Research Institute · 29 April 2024
2. curiosity, everywhere · cassini nazir 3
3. curiosity, everywhere · cassini nazir I co-directed a lab at UT Dallas…
4. curiosity, everywhere · cassini nazir ArtSciLab—with Roger Malina, an astrophysicist and former NASA space scientist.
5. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir We talked often about amphibians… people adaptable to two disciplines.
6. everday curiosity · cassini nazir https://interactive.wttw.com/chicago-stories/inventing-improv/demonstrating-viola-spolin-theater-games Talking across disciplines can sound a bit like gibberish.
7. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir 8 Prototypes to a designer are fast, cheap, and easy.
8. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir 9 Prototypes to a designer are fast, cheap, and easy. Prototypes to a space scientist are slow, expensive, and difficult.
9. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir 10 EVERDAY CURIOSITY C.P. Snow also described a mutual incomprehension between arts and sciences.
10. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir Collaboration can be like Alka Seltzer… fun at first, but fizzles fast. EVERDAY CURIOSITY 11
11. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir epistemic diversive specific perceptual MOTI VATI ON B E H AVI O R instinctual, exploratory behavior — not just in humans desire for knowledge — primarily in humans persevere to find an answer desire for stimulation, related to boredom 12 We needed the right kind of curiosity.
12. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir epistemic diversive specific perceptual MOTI VATI ON B E H AVI O R instinctual, exploratory behavior — not just in humans desire for knowledge — primarily in humans persevere to find an answer desire for stimulation, related to boredom monkey solves a problem rat explores a maze bored teenager flips channels scientist search for solutions 13 Loewenstein, G. (1994). The psychology of curiosity: A review and reinterpretation. Psychological Bulletin, 116(1), 75–98. We needed the right kind of curiosity.
13. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir epistemic diversive specific perceptual instinctual, exploratory behavior — not just in humans desire for knowledge — primarily in humans persevere to find an answer desire for stimulation, related to boredom 14 Activities exist for each of these areas.
14. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir epistemic diversive specific perceptual instinctual, exploratory behavior — not just in humans desire for knowledge — primarily in humans persevere to find an answer desire for stimulation, related to boredom 15 Björn Borg Venus Williams Björn Borg Venus Williams Was that a magic berry? Did you bury the treasure? Do you eat cereal? Is that podcast a serial? 1 2 3 4 Isn’t it time we ate? Was dinner at eight? Were you in a band? Was your music banned? 1 2 3 4 Why don’t you breathe air? Are you heir to the throne? Did you step on an ant? How is your aunt? 1 2 3 4 ( ) Did you see that online ad? Do you know how to add? Why are you standing in the aisle? Didn’t you visit an island? 1 2 3 4 Question Tennis © Copyright Thomas Mangelsen © Copyright Tilakraj Nagaraj / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards © Copyright Geert Weggen / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards © Copyright Roie Galitz / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 40 Questions Gibberish Rebus Yanni Yawn Knee + = How else can we indulge our curiosity?
15. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir Surfacing and reversing assumptions is critical to collaboration. EVERDAY CURIOSITY 16 PAST PRESENT
16. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir Consider the 1980s telephone. EVERDAY CURIOSITY 17 • Was just a phone PAST PRESENT
17. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir Consider the 1980s telephone. EVERDAY CURIOSITY 18 • Was just a phone • Had physical buttons PAST PRESENT
18. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir Consider the 1980s telephone. EVERDAY CURIOSITY 19 • Was just a phone • Had physical buttons • Didn't know who was calling PAST PRESENT
19. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir Consider the 1980s telephone. EVERDAY CURIOSITY 20 • Was just a phone • Had physical buttons • Didn't know who was calling • Can’t take it with you PAST PRESENT
20. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir Consider the 1980s telephone. EVERDAY CURIOSITY 21 • Was just a phone • Had physical buttons • Didn't know who was calling • Can’t take it with you • Limited cord length PAST PRESENT
21. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir Consider the 1980s telephone. EVERDAY CURIOSITY 22 • Was just a phone • Had physical buttons • Didn't know who was calling • Can’t take it with you • Limited cord length • Can’t change the volume PAST PRESENT
22. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir Consider the 1980s telephone. EVERDAY CURIOSITY 23 • Was just a phone • Had physical buttons • Didn't know who was calling • Can’t take it with you • Limited cord length • Can’t change the volume • One person at a time PAST PRESENT
23. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir Consider the 1980s telephone. EVERDAY CURIOSITY 24 • Was just a phone • Had physical buttons • Didn't know who was calling • Can’t take it with you • Limited cord length • Can’t change the volume • One person at a time • Long distance calls were expensive PAST PRESENT
24. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir Our present day phones reverse each of these assumptions. EVERDAY CURIOSITY 25 Long distance calls expensive Was just a phone Had physical buttons Didn't know who was calling Can’t take it with you Limited cord length Can’t change the volume One person at a time PAST PRESENT
25. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir Vehicles have gas pedals Vehicles are purchased and owned Vehicles can be stolen Vehicle headlights only illuminate the road Vehicles cannot take photos Vehicles cannot store food for long periods A driver drives the vehicle Let’s do future assumption reversals. EVERDAY CURIOSITY 26 ASSUMPTION REVERSAL PRESENT FUTURE
26. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir Vehicles have gas pedals Vehicles don’t have pedals; vehicles don’t need gas Vehicles are purchased and owned Vehicles have subscriptions and no owner Vehicles can be stolen Vehicles alert police when stolen; can’t be stolen Vehicle headlights only illuminate the road Vehicles projects arrows/indicators to show the way Vehicles cannot take photos Vehicles can take photos Vehicles cannot store food for long periods Vehicles can keep food warm or cold A driver drives the vehicle There is no driver; there are many drivers Let’s do future assumption reversals. EVERDAY CURIOSITY 27 ASSUMPTION REVERSAL Once you unlock reversals, explore how to make the scenarios possible. PRESENT FUTURE
27. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir Re-framing is the collaborator’s superpower. EVERDAY CURIOSITY 28
28. everyday curiosity · cassini nazir You think that because you understand “one” that you therefore understand “two” because one and one make two. But you forget that you must also understand “and.” — Sufi teaching story KEYS TO CURIOSITY 29