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1. Introduction to the Cognitive Dimension
Learn about the hidden thinking behind expert decision-making in this first lesson in The Cognitive Dimension course. Dr. Gary Klein explains why understanding the invisible mental processes is crucial for solving complex problems and how most people overlook this vital aspect of expertise and decision-making.
8 Lessons (65min)
- 1: Introduction to the Cognitive Dimension
- 2: Controlled Studies Inhibit Expertise
- 3: The War on Expertise
- 4: Seeing the Invisible
- 5: Is It Safe to Rely Solely on Evidence-Based Data?
- 6: Don’t Let the Data Mislead You
- 7: Mental Models and the Cognitive Dimension
- 8: Naturalistic Decision Making Tools for Discovering the Cognitive Dimension
The Cognitive Dimension
Dr. Gary Klein describes the cognitive dimension and demonstrates how experts rely on it to navigate complexity, refine mental models, and make critical judgments under pressure.
8 Lessons (65min)
- 1: Introduction to the Cognitive Dimension
- 2: Controlled Studies Inhibit Expertise
- 3: The War on Expertise
- 4: Seeing the Invisible
- 5: Is It Safe to Rely Solely on Evidence-Based Data?
- 6: Don’t Let the Data Mislead You
- 7: Mental Models and the Cognitive Dimension
- 8: Naturalistic Decision Making Tools for Discovering the Cognitive Dimension
Lesson info
Learn about the hidden thinking behind expert decision-making in this first lesson in The Cognitive Dimension course. Dr. Gary Klein explains why understanding the invisible mental processes is crucial for solving complex problems and how most people overlook this vital aspect of expertise and decision-making.
About this course
Course Description
Explore the cognitive dimension with host, Dr. Gary Klein, renowned cognitive psychologist and pioneer in the field of naturalistic decision-making. This course explains what the cognitive dimension is – the often-invisible layer of expertise underlying effective decisions, sensemaking, and adaptability in complex situations, and why it is important. This 8-lesson course of real-world examples will help you discover how experts navigate ambiguity, refine their mental models, and make critical judgments under pressure.
With Dr. Klein’s insights, you will gain tools to recognize patterns, enhance situational awareness, and apply expert-level reasoning. Perfect for professionals aiming to refine their decision-making, this course will equip participants with the skills to see beyond surface data and cultivate a deep understanding of cognitive processes essential in high-stakes environments.
This course includes:
- 65 minutes of self-paced, standalone, video-based lessons
- Downloadable transcripts, presentation slides, and other resources
- 18-question comprehension quiz
- Certificate of completion (Requires a passing score of 80% or higher on the comprehension quiz)
Browse Lessons
Lesson 1: Introduction to the Cognitive Dimension
Learn about the hidden thinking behind expert decision-making in this first lesson in The Cognitive Dimension course. Dr. Gary Klein explains why understanding the invisible mental processes is crucial for solving complex problems and how most people overlook this vital aspect of expertise and decision-making.
Lesson 2: Controlled Studies Inhibit Expertise
Discover why controlled lab experiments miss the mark in measuring true expertise. In this lesson, Dr. Klein explains how real-world context and experience shape effective decision-making, and why they’re often discounted in controlled studies.
Lesson 3: The War on Expertise
Become aware of the subtle forces eroding our trust in expertise. Gain an understanding of the communities and their specific attacks on expertise to avoid being misled.
Lesson 4: Seeing the Invisible
Through real-world examples, learn how expertise goes beyond standard operating procedures, involving critical cognitive skills. Learn how these skills and insights help experts make life-saving decisions, even in unpredictable and risky situations.
Lesson 5: Is It Safe to Rely Solely on Evidence-Based Data?
This lesson examines why evidence-based guidelines aren’t enough in complex medical cases and how cognitive skills can fill the gaps. Dr. Klein identifies six key challenges medical professionals face, from interpreting conflicting evidence to adapting treatments for unique patients.
Lesson 6: Don’t Let the Data Mislead You
Data tells a story, but does it tell the whole story? Explore how over-reliance on surface-level analysis can change the narrative and how digging deeper to understand the cognitive dimension can enhance the insights gleaned from the data.
Lesson 7: Mental Models and the Cognitive Dimension
Use the cognitive dimension to develop richer mental models, improve decision-making strategies, and uncover pathways to insights. Learn how experts understand system limitations, perform workarounds, anticipate user errors, and make discoveries by recognizing assumptions, making connections, and resolving contradictions.
Lesson 8: Naturalistic Decision Making Tools for Discovering the Cognitive Dimension
Explore the growth of naturalistic decision making, and how tools like ShadowBox training and the AIQ toolkit can help uncover the cognitive dimension in complex tasks. This lesson reveals groundbreaking approaches that enhance decision support, accelerate expertise, and offer a human-centered alternative to traditional heuristics and biases.