Six dimensions of expertise: a more comprehensive definition of cognitive expertise for team coordination

Abstract

Looking at expertise from the vantage point of many knowledge domains allows the observations and resulting definitions to be useful across a broad range of subject areas. A stable set of definitions that work on a higher, more comprehensive level than the current literature offers is needed for an integrated description of expertise. A cohesive cross-domain definition and explanation of expertise can be used to optimise group interactions. Since group performance incorporates additional components of expertise that are not present in individual performance situations, these additional components must be examined in order to see a full picture of the successful utilisation of expertise in a group setting. This expanded expertise definition will allow group dynamics to be better understood and will help break down the expertise components required to have successful group interactions.

Keywords:

• expertise
• team coordination
• knowledge sharing
• supervisory coordination

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of V. Gakhar, who contributed to an earlier version of this paper, which was completed for a graduate seminar assignment.