For the past several years, my research has focused on ways to increase the creativity of solutions to ill-structured problems generated by teams supported by collaborative software. Research performed in conjunction with Dr. Robert Briggs (GroupSystems.com and the Delft University of Technology) and Gert-Jan deVreede (University of Nebraska and the Delft University of Technology) has lead to the development and refinement of a causal model of creative solution generation that is well grounded in Cognitive Pschology. This model is the Cognitive Network Model of Creativity (CNM).

The Cognitive Network Model of Creativity
Larger View Printer Friendly Version	The CNM asserts that creative solutions are more likely to emerge in situations where the likelihood of forming new associations between distant frames (from our knowledge network) is increased. Diverse stimuli may be used to increase the associative distance between salient frames (those that simultaneously occupy working memory), thereby increasing the likelihood of forming new associations between those previously unrelated salient frames. Greater associative distance between salient frames also increases cognitive load, ultimately limiting the ability to form these new associations. Cognitive load also increases along with the number of stimuli we are exposed to per unit of time. Under certain conditions, however, chunking (combining salient frames to conserve cognitive resources) may help reduce the level of cognitive load. However, the extent to which certain frames may be chunked is reduced by exposure to increasingly diverse stimuli, indicating that the savings in cognitive load do have limitations.
Derivation of the Model, Presentation	Empirical Support for the Model, Presentation

Other research interests include various uses of collaborative technologies and user interface design.

How to contact me:

This is always the best way: esantane-at-bucknell-dot-edu, replace -at- with '@', -dot- with '.' No spam, please!

Last updated February 7, 2003