Project team dynamics and cognitive style

Problem-solving styles and interpersonal dynamics of project teams are often critical factors for a team to function effectively. To study problem-solving styles and track intra-team interactions, the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI) was used to determine the cognitive styles of engineering and management students in Bucknell's Institute for Leadership in Technology and Management (ILTM). KAI scores allowed interpretation and characterization of data from student journaling assignments that recorded observations about project team members' abilities to work and communicate with each other. KAI results show correlations with both positive and negative aspects of project team experiences. The results indicate potential sources of conflicts in project teams comprised of mature individuals working in a corporate environment.