Naturalistic Decision Making

Adam Lary, a human factors engineer and former U.S. Army infantry officer who leads avionics interface design at Garmin. He talks about translating military experience into human-centered avionics, balancing simulator fidelity with cognitive realism, framing real operational problems for usable designs, and navigating regulatory certification and cross-functional collaboration.

Gary Klein, cognitive psychologist and pioneer of Naturalistic Decision Making, offers a concise mini bio and decades-long expertise. He maps the causal landscape of the 2025 World Series. Short takes cover why causal landscapes beat root-cause stories, key playable factors like dramatic plays and managerial choices, the role of non-events and injuries, and how counterfactuals and mutability shape practical analysis.

Dick Stottler, Co-founder and CEO of Stottler Henke, shares his extensive expertise in AI solutions tailored for complex problems. He discusses innovative applications of intelligent software in defense, space missions, and education, emphasizing human oversight in automated systems. Stottler dives into cognitive task analysis in satellite operations and the importance of symbolic techniques in AI to improve accuracy. He also addresses misconceptions about AI's capabilities and explores the evolving public perception of intelligent systems.

Learn more about the guests:  ⁠Mohammadreza ⁠Jordan Nishtha ⁠Kari   Where to find the hosts: Brian Moon ⁠⁠Brian’s website⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Brian’s LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Brian’s Twitter⁠⁠ Laura Militello ⁠⁠Laura’s website⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Laura’s LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Laura’s Twitter⁠⁠

Tandi Bagian, a NASA veteran and expert in human factors, shares her insights from high-stakes environments. She discusses her journey as a woman in engineering and the vital role of curiosity in problem-solving. Tandi emphasizes the need for collaboration between humans and automation, especially in healthcare. She reflects on her experiences during the COVID vaccine rollout, advocating for proactive safety measures. The conversation also delves into the importance of open dialogue and adaptive decision-making in overcoming uncertainties in both life and science.

Reflection on the podcast's growth over four years, exploring diverse origin stories and career paths of NDM practitioners. Hosts discuss challenges, aspirations, and evolving interviewing skills to enhance audience experience. Impact of podcast on NDM community, future plans for expanding horizons and engaging with parallel communities.

Consultant, author, and professor Vaughn Tan discusses strategies for thriving in uncertainty. Topics include the uncertainty mindset, innovation in R&D teams, productive discomfort, managing certainty and embracing uncertainty in organizations, and memorable meals at an evolutionary restaurant.

The podcast explores cognitive ergonomics with Peter Hancock, touching on topics such as enhancing human decision-making, navigating publishing challenges in NDM research, reflections on imposter syndrome and aging, and analyzing human behavior in collision scenarios. Hancock's impressive academic background and contributions to the field are highlighted throughout the episode.

Ron Besuijen, a Training Specialist with 35 years of experience in the petrochemical industry, discusses training with simulators, safety protocols, and decision-making in petrochemical operations. He also shares insights on incidents, troubleshooting, and the importance of collaboration among healthcare groups.

Gerd Gigerenzer, Director of the Harding Center for Risk Literacy, discusses the evolution of heuristics in decision-making and the importance of intuition in leadership. They explore the concept of intuition, influential figures on decision-making, and the limitations of classical decision theory in uncertain situations.