Interdisciplinary thinking is the ability to integrate knowledge, methodologies, and perspectives from multiple disciplines to solve complex problems and create innovative solutions. At its core, it involves connecting ideas across traditional boundaries, applying diverse viewpoints, and synthesizing information from seemingly unrelated fields to address challenges that cannot be solved through a single disciplinary approach.

In today's increasingly complex business environment, interdisciplinary thinking has become a critical competency for professionals across virtually all roles and industries. The most challenging problems rarely fit neatly within the boundaries of a single discipline or department. Whether developing new products, addressing customer needs, or formulating business strategy, professionals who can draw connections between diverse knowledge domains often drive breakthrough innovations and more comprehensive solutions.

The value of interdisciplinary thinking manifests in several key ways. It enables teams to overcome siloed thinking, bringing together insights from areas like technology, design, business, and human behavior. It helps organizations identify blind spots in their approaches by incorporating diverse perspectives. Perhaps most importantly, it fuels innovation by facilitating the cross-pollination of ideas and methodologies that might never intersect in traditionally structured environments.

When evaluating candidates for interdisciplinary thinking, interviewers should listen for evidence of knowledge integration, cognitive flexibility, systems thinking, and boundary-crossing abilities. The best candidates won't just have superficial knowledge of multiple domains but will demonstrate a genuine capacity to deeply connect concepts across fields and apply them in meaningful ways to drive results. The interview guides and behavioral questions from Yardstick can help you structure a comprehensive assessment approach.

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you had to integrate knowledge from different fields or disciplines to solve a complex problem.

Areas to Cover:

• The specific disciplines or knowledge domains they drew from
• How they identified which disciplines were relevant to the problem
• Their process for synthesizing information across different domains
• Challenges they faced in integrating diverse perspectives
• The specific insights gained from the interdisciplinary approach
• The outcome of their solution compared to a single-discipline approach
• What they learned about interdisciplinary problem-solving

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you identify which disciplines or fields would be relevant to this problem?
• What specific tools or frameworks from each discipline did you apply?
• How did you overcome any contradictions or tensions between the different disciplinary perspectives?
• How did this experience change your approach to complex problems?

Describe a situation where you collaborated with experts from different fields to develop an innovative solution or approach.

Areas to Cover:

• The composition of the cross-disciplinary team
• Their role in facilitating communication across disciplinary boundaries
• How they navigated different terminology, methodologies, or priorities
• Specific contributions from different disciplines that enhanced the solution
• Challenges in the collaborative process and how they were overcome
• The innovative aspects of the final solution that emerged from the interdisciplinary approach
• How they measured the success of the collaboration

Follow-Up Questions:

• What strategies did you use to ensure effective communication across different specialties?
• How did you handle situations where team members from different backgrounds disagreed on approach?
• What surprised you most about working across disciplinary boundaries?
• How did you ensure that all disciplines had meaningful input into the final solution?

Give me an example of when you recognized that a problem required knowledge or expertise outside your primary field, and how you addressed this gap.

Areas to Cover:

• The problem they encountered and their initial approach
• How they recognized the limitations of their disciplinary perspective
• Their process for identifying what additional expertise was needed
• Steps taken to acquire new knowledge or engage appropriate experts
• How they integrated the new perspective with their existing expertise
• Their approach to learning across disciplinary boundaries
• The outcome of incorporating diverse expertise

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you determine which outside fields or expertise would be most relevant?
• What specific steps did you take to gain enough understanding of the other discipline?
• How did you evaluate the quality of information or advice from fields outside your expertise?
• How has this experience influenced your approach to similar situations since?

Share an experience where you applied a concept, tool, or methodology from one field to solve a problem in a completely different domain.

Areas to Cover:

• The concept, tool, or methodology they borrowed from another field
• How they identified the potential for cross-application
• Their process for adapting the approach to a new context
• Challenges faced in translating concepts between domains
• The unique insights or outcomes that resulted from this cross-pollination
• How they explained the approach to others unfamiliar with the source field
• What they learned about the universality or limitations of concepts across domains

Follow-Up Questions:

• What similarities did you see between these different domains that others might have missed?
• How did you adapt the concept or tool to fit the new context?
• What resistance or skepticism did you face when applying this cross-domain approach?
• What other fields do you regularly draw inspiration from and why?

Tell me about a time when you had to challenge traditional thinking or break down silos between departments to address a complex challenge.

Areas to Cover:

• The traditional approaches or silos they encountered
• Why they determined an interdisciplinary approach was necessary
• How they initiated cross-boundary collaboration
• Resistance they faced and how they overcame it
• Their approach to facilitating understanding across different groups
• The outcome of breaking down the silos
• Long-term impacts on organizational thinking or structure

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you build credibility with groups outside your immediate area of expertise?
• What specific tactics did you use to help different departments understand each other's perspectives?
• How did you balance respecting specialized expertise while challenging siloed thinking?
• What lasting changes in cross-department collaboration resulted from this experience?

Describe a project where you had to learn concepts from an unfamiliar field or discipline to achieve your objectives.

Areas to Cover:

• The project goals and why knowledge from an unfamiliar field was necessary
• Their learning approach and resources utilized
• How deeply they needed to understand the new field
• Challenges they faced in the learning process
• How they applied the newly acquired knowledge
• How they validated their understanding and application
• Impact of this interdisciplinary learning on the project outcomes

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you determine the appropriate depth of knowledge needed from the unfamiliar field?
• What strategies did you use to accelerate your learning in the new domain?
• How did you ensure you were correctly interpreting and applying concepts from the unfamiliar field?
• How has this experience affected your confidence in tackling unfamiliar subject matter?

Tell me about an innovation or creative solution you developed by connecting ideas from different fields or disciplines.

Areas to Cover:

• The innovation or solution they developed
• The different disciplines or knowledge domains they drew from
• How they identified connections between seemingly unrelated fields
• Their creative process for synthesizing diverse concepts
• Resistance or skepticism they faced due to the unconventional approach
• The unique value their interdisciplinary approach provided
• How they communicated the interdisciplinary nature of their innovation to others

Follow-Up Questions:

• What inspired you to look beyond conventional approaches to this problem?
• How did you identify the potential connection between these different fields?
• What framework or process did you use to combine ideas from different disciplines?
• How have you applied this interdisciplinary thinking approach to other situations?

Share an example of when you served as a bridge between technical and non-technical stakeholders to solve a problem or develop a new initiative.

Areas to Cover:

• The context of the situation and the stakeholders involved
• The communication challenges between different groups
• Their approach to translating concepts between technical and non-technical domains
• How they ensured all perspectives were understood and valued
• Specific techniques used to facilitate cross-domain understanding
• The outcomes achieved through this bridging role
• Lessons learned about interdisciplinary communication

Follow-Up Questions:

• What common misunderstandings did you observe between the different stakeholder groups?
• How did you adapt your communication style when speaking to different audiences?
• What techniques did you use to ensure technical concepts were understood by non-technical stakeholders?
• How did you ensure that non-technical requirements were properly translated into technical specifications?

Describe a situation where you identified patterns or connections across different business areas that others had missed.

Areas to Cover:

• The context and the different business areas involved
• How they came to notice the patterns or connections
• Their process for validating the observed patterns
• How they communicated these insights to others
• Resistance or skepticism they faced and how they addressed it
• The impact of recognizing these cross-domain patterns
• How this systems thinking approach has influenced their work

Follow-Up Questions:

• What enabled you to see these connections when others had missed them?
• How did you investigate or validate your observations?
• How did you convince others of the significance of these patterns?
• What tools or frameworks do you use to help identify cross-domain patterns?

Tell me about a time when you had to adapt methodologies or processes from one discipline to fit the needs and context of another.

Areas to Cover:

• The methodologies or processes they adapted
• Why adaptation was necessary rather than direct application
• Their process for identifying which elements needed modification
• How they maintained the integrity of the original methodology while adapting it
• Challenges faced during the adaptation process
• How they evaluated the success of the adapted approach
• What they learned about the transferability of methodologies across disciplines

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you determine which aspects of the methodology could be transferred directly and which needed adaptation?
• What resistance did you face when introducing an adapted methodology from another field?
• How did you ensure the adapted methodology maintained its effectiveness?
• What insights did you gain about the underlying principles that make the methodology effective across different contexts?

Share an experience where you had to develop a framework or model that integrated multiple perspectives or disciplines.

Areas to Cover:

• The purpose and context for the framework
• The different disciplines or perspectives incorporated
• Their process for identifying key elements from each discipline
• How they structured the integrated framework
• Challenges in reconciling potentially conflicting perspectives
• How they validated the effectiveness of the framework
• How others received and utilized the integrated model

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you ensure the framework reflected the essential elements of each discipline?
• What tensions or contradictions did you encounter between different perspectives, and how did you resolve them?
• How did you test or validate that your integrated framework was effective?
• How has this framework evolved based on feedback and application?

Describe a time when you brought together individuals with diverse expertise to tackle a challenge that couldn't be solved by a single discipline.

Areas to Cover:

• The complex challenge and why it required multiple disciplines
• How they identified and assembled the right mix of expertise
• Their approach to facilitating collaboration among diverse experts
• How they managed different perspectives, priorities, or working styles
• The process for integrating the diverse inputs into a cohesive solution
• The unique value created through this interdisciplinary collaboration
• Lessons learned about facilitating interdisciplinary teams

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you determine what disciplines or expertise were needed?
• What techniques did you use to facilitate productive dialogue across disciplines?
• How did you address situations where experts from different fields disagreed?
• What would you do differently next time you lead an interdisciplinary team?

Tell me about a time when you challenged your own assumptions by exploring perspectives from disciplines outside your primary field of expertise.

Areas to Cover:

• The situation and their initial assumptions
• What prompted them to seek outside perspectives
• The different disciplines or fields they explored
• How they identified relevant outside perspectives
• How these alternative viewpoints challenged their thinking
• How they integrated these new perspectives into their approach
• The impact on their original assumptions and ultimate outcomes

Follow-Up Questions:

• What made you realize that your initial assumptions might be limited?
• How did you identify which outside disciplines might offer valuable perspectives?
• What specific insights from other fields most surprised or challenged you?
• How has this experience changed your approach to forming initial assumptions?

Describe a situation where you advocated for an interdisciplinary approach when others preferred to stick with traditional methods.

Areas to Cover:

• The context and why they believed an interdisciplinary approach was necessary
• The traditional methods others preferred and their limitations
• How they made the case for an interdisciplinary approach
• Resistance they faced and how they addressed concerns
• Their strategy for implementing the interdisciplinary approach
• The comparative results of the interdisciplinary versus traditional methods
• How this experience influenced organizational approaches going forward

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you build credibility for your proposed interdisciplinary approach?
• What specific objections did you encounter, and how did you address them?
• How did you demonstrate the value of the interdisciplinary approach?
• What lessons did you learn about advocating for new methodologies?

Share an example of when you identified a blind spot in your team's approach that could be addressed by incorporating perspectives from another discipline.

Areas to Cover:

• The context and the blind spot they identified
• How they recognized this as a blind spot
• The discipline or perspective they identified as potentially valuable
• How they introduced this new perspective to the team
• Resistance or challenges they faced in integrating the new perspective
• The impact of incorporating the outside perspective
• How this experience changed the team's approach to future problems

Follow-Up Questions:

• What signals or indicators helped you identify the blind spot?
• How did you determine which outside discipline would address this blind spot?
• How did you help the team understand and value this new perspective?
• What processes have you put in place to proactively identify blind spots in the future?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is interdisciplinary thinking important in today's workplace?

Interdisciplinary thinking is crucial because today's complex business challenges rarely fit neatly within traditional disciplinary boundaries. Organizations face problems that require synthesizing knowledge from multiple domains, from technology and design to psychology and business strategy. Professionals who can connect ideas across fields often drive innovation, identify opportunities others miss, and develop more comprehensive solutions. In an era of rapid change and disruption, the ability to draw from diverse knowledge domains provides a significant competitive advantage.

How can I tell if a candidate truly has interdisciplinary thinking skills versus just superficial knowledge of multiple areas?

Look for evidence of deep integration rather than just breadth. Strong interdisciplinary thinkers don't just know about multiple fields but can meaningfully connect concepts across domains, apply methodologies from one field to solve problems in another, and articulate the unique insights that emerge from these connections. Pay attention to how they describe their thought process - do they naturally make connections across domains? Can they explain how they adapted concepts from one field to another? The best candidates will demonstrate not just knowledge of multiple areas but a genuine ability to synthesize and apply this knowledge in novel ways.

Should I prioritize candidates with formal education in multiple disciplines?

While formal interdisciplinary education can be valuable, it's not the only path to developing strong interdisciplinary thinking. Many excellent interdisciplinary thinkers have a deep foundation in one area but have cultivated the ability to learn across boundaries through their career experiences. Look for candidates who demonstrate intellectual curiosity, learning agility, and a pattern of engaging with diverse knowledge domains - whether through formal education, professional projects, or personal pursuits. What matters most is their demonstrated ability to integrate knowledge across disciplines to solve problems, not necessarily how they acquired that knowledge.

How can I structure an interview to effectively assess interdisciplinary thinking?

Focus on behavioral questions that reveal how candidates have approached complex problems in the past. Ask them to describe specific situations where they integrated knowledge from different fields, collaborated across disciplinary boundaries, or adapted methodologies from one domain to another. Use follow-up questions to probe deeper into their thought processes, understanding how they identify connections between fields and apply diverse perspectives. Consider including a case study or work sample that requires synthesizing multiple types of information. Also, involve interviewers from different functional areas who can evaluate the candidate's ability to communicate across disciplines and appreciate diverse perspectives.

Is interdisciplinary thinking more important for leadership roles or individual contributors?

While interdisciplinary thinking is valuable at all levels, its importance often increases with role complexity and leadership responsibility. Leaders often need to integrate perspectives across functional areas, balance competing priorities, and envision solutions that address multifaceted challenges. However, individual contributors with strong interdisciplinary thinking can drive significant innovation within their domains and often become valuable connectors across teams. The specific type of interdisciplinary thinking may differ by level - with individual contributors applying it to specific problems and leaders using it more for strategic vision and organizational alignment - but it adds value throughout the organization.

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