“Optimally Ambiguous Exchanges” and Other Conditions for Productive Interdisciplinary Collaboration

This article reports on a study of nine interdisciplinary research networks to identify what makes collaboration across disciplines productive. The authors argue that success depends not just on cognitive integration but also on emotional and interactional dynamics. A key concept is “optimal ambiguity” — framing the research agenda broadly enough to invite diverse disciplinary perspectives while still offering enough structure for meaningful exchange. The piece shows how funders, group norms, and leadership practices shape collaborative environments, and calls attention to how traditional metrics of success (publications, citations) overlook the rich emotional and relational dimensions of interdisciplinary work.