This document discusses multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary research. It outlines the challenges of navigating traditional disciplinary focused environments and proposes strategies for expanding beyond one's home discipline. The author reflects on their experience starting with related subdisciplines and progressively incorporating more distant fields to address real-world problems. They argue the opportunities of cross-disciplinary research lie in impact, innovation, and inclusion.
Working at the Edge: Developing a Cross-disciplinary Research Agenda
1. Working at the edge:
Developing a multidisciplinary research agenda
Arosha K. Bandara
21 Nov 2019
inter
trans
@arosha | #OUResearch
2. MOTIVATION
2
Computing in the world …
• Clear system boundary
• Focus on data, algorithms,
protocols, etc
• Disappearing system boundary
• Cyber-physical / Socio-technical
5. DEFINITIONS
5
Transdisciplinary Research
Research Qs, Theory,
Models & Tools
Research Qs, Theory & Methods
Our DisciplineOur Discipline
Theory
Models
Tools
Research Questions
Research Questions,
combine Theory, Method, Tools, etc
Stakeholder Stakeholder
15. SETTING OUT
15
Working at the near horizon
Work with other
Sub-disciplines
software engineering, distributed systems,
human computer interaction
MOBILEHCI
16. SETTING OUT
16
Working at the near horizon
Work with other
Sub-disciplines
software engineering, distributed systems,
human computer interaction
ICSE
17. BULDING UP
17
Expanding beyond computing
Working with other
relevant disciplines
software engineering, distributed systems,
artificial intelligence, social psychology
SEAMS
18. BULDING UP
18
Expanding beyond computing
Working with other
relevant disciplines
software engineering, distributed systems,
artificial intelligence, social psychology
PSYCHOLOGYCOMPASS
19. TAKE OFF
19
Going out into the world
social care, psychology, software engineering,
machine learning and human computer interaction
policing, psychology, software engineering and
human computer interaction
Combine disciplinary
perspectives to address
real-world problems
25. Q&A / DISCUSSION
Our vision for computing and communications technology is people centred: we
are committed to integrating technology effectively into human activity. We seek to:
• Empower: placing people at the centre of our research
• Situate: focusing as much on context as on technology
• Disrupt: creatively disrupt discipline borders for new perspectives and solutions
In other words, we focus on the use of digital technology to enhance human
experience.
RESEARCH VISION