The Cognitive Dimension

Catch what others miss. See beyond data. Develop sharper judgment for complex, high-stakes decisions.

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.

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Introduction to the Cognitive Dimension

Section 2: Controlled Studies Inhibit Expertise

Lecture 2 Controlled Studies Inhibit Expertise

Section 3: The War on Expertise

Lecture 3 The War on Expertise

Section 4: Seeing the Invisible

Lecture 4 Seeing the Invisible

Section 5: Is It Safe to Rely Solely on Evidence-Based Data?

Lecture 5 Is It Safe to Rely Solely on Evidence-Based Data?

Section 6: Don't Let the Data Mislead You

Lecture 6 Don't Let the Data Mislead You

Section 7: Mental Models and the Cognitive Dimension

Lecture 7 Mental Models and the Cognitive Dimension

Section 8: Naturalistic Decision Making Tools for Discovering the Cognitive Dimension

Lecture 8 Naturalistic Decision Making Tools for Discovering the Cognitive Dimension

This course is for students, professionals, researchers, and decision-makers who want to understand, support, and leverage the cognitive processes behind expert performance.