Episode #1: Interview with NDM Pioneer Gary Klein

Naturalistic Decision Making

Show Description:

“Today we are talking with my friend and business partner, Gary Klein. Gary is one of the pioneers of the Naturalistic Decision Making movement. He is known for moving the study of decision making out of the laboratory and into the wild. In 1989, he invited a small group of international researchers to meet in Dayton, OH to talk about decision making in natural environments and how to study this phenomenon. It was that group of 32 researchers who came up with the term Naturalistic Decision Making.

Gary's many contributions include the recognition-primed decision model that has greatly influenced how we all think about decision making and expertise. He and his colleagues developed early cognitive task analysis methods that have been a core set of tools for studying decision making in real world environments. He has mentored countless researchers, including both of us. Gary now lives in Boston, MA. He runs a company called ShadowBox LLC, and is also part-owner and advisor to Applied Decision Science, LLC.”

Where to find Gary

ShadowBox LLC Website

LinkedIn

Psychology Today Column

Learn more about NDM:

Website: https://naturalisticdecisionmaking.org/

Where to find hosts Brian Moon and Laura Militello:

Brian’s website

Brian’s LinkedIn

Brian’s Twitter

Laura’s website

Laura’s LinkedIn

Laura’s Twitter

Resources mentioned during the show:

Sources of Power by Gary Klein

Seeing What Others Don't: The Remarkable Ways We Gain Insights by Gary Klein

Timestamps:

Gary's first published paper [1:36]

How Gary got started in Naturalistic Decision Making [4:48]

Gary's research on Israeli aircraft maintainers' coping methods during Yom Kippur War [7:55]

Current NDM-related research that Gary is most excited about [12:10]

Two of the biggest mistakes of Gary’s career and how he recovered from them [14:53]

Gary shares his favorite research stores:

-A firefighter whose quick thinking saved several of his colleague’s lives [22:53]

-A British naval officer whose quick, life-saving decision was at first mistaken for ESP [28:00]

-A neonatal nurse's expert instincts helped save a baby's life [33:33]

Suggestions for how the NDM community can help during today's coronavirus crisis 37:15]

Where Gary would prioritize funding and research investment right now [44:05]

Associative thinking exercise [46:18]

How the scientific method is “often a trap” that can limit researchers' learning opportunities [48:55]