The Cognitive Dimension
What you'll learn
- Learn about the Cognitive Dimension in decision-making, sensemaking, and expertise—exploring how tacit knowledge, mental models, and patterns contribute.
- Recognize how real-world context and expertise shape decision-making, with a focus on high-risk environments like medicine and safety.
- Identify the components of expert mental models and explain how decision-makers use pattern recognition, mental simulation, and different pathways to insight.
- Describe key tools for uncovering the Cognitive Dimension such as Cognitive Task Analysis to improve training, decision-making, and human-AI collaboration.
Requirements
- No prior experience needed. Dr. Gary Klein will teach you all you need to know about the Cognitive Dimension and how to use it to improve your decision-making.
Description
Expertise is often treated as a mysterious concept – few can explain it, but you know when someone has it. Dr. Gary Klein, renowned cognitive psychologist and pioneer in the field of naturalistic decision making, has devoted the last 35 years to understanding what makes experts so capable of making timely and accurate assessments.
In this course, Dr. Klein introduces the concept of the Cognitive Dimension: the hidden layer of awareness that underpins effective decisions, accurate sensemaking, and increased adaptability. Through a series of real-world examples and practical insights, learners will understand how experts recognize patterns, refine their mental models, and interpret ambiguous or conflicting data. You’ll explore why controlled studies often miss the nuances of expert behavior, how over-reliance on evidence-based data can be misleading, and what it takes to “see the invisible” in complex decision-making tasks. You'll also gain exposure to powerful tools like ShadowBox scenario-based training and the AIQ toolkit, which are designed to help surface and strengthen expert reasoning. After participating in this course, you will have a much deeper understanding of the skills, strategies, and techniques that experts use to make sense of their instincts.
This course is ideal for individuals who want to deepen their cognitive skills, move beyond superficial data interpretations, and learn to navigate uncertainty with greater clarity and confidence. Unlock the thinking that drives expertise—discover the Cognitive Dimension.
Who this course is for:
- This course is for students, professionals, researchers, and decision-makers who want to understand, support, and leverage the cognitive processes behind expert performance.
Instructor
- 5.0 Instructor Rating
- 2 Reviews
- 9 Students
- 2 Courses
ShadowBox LLC is a training company founded by cognitive psychologist Dr. Gary Klein, a pioneer in the study of decision-making and expertise. With over 40 years of experience, Dr. Klein and the ShadowBox team have developed practical methods to help people improve their ability to solve problems, make decisions, and think effectively under pressure.
ShadowBox offers engaging courses based on real-world research designed to help learners sharpen their skills and perform at their best. Whether you're a beginner or experienced in your field, ShadowBox training can give you the skills to foster growth and enhance your expertise.