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Paper short abstract

A survey of 85 researchers in interdisciplinary teams at three German digitalisation institutes. Mixed-method analyses show: learning drives project satisfaction; publication/career prospects drive perceived success. Qualitative data highlight tensions over time, careers and data management.

Paper long abstract

Interdisciplinarity has become a core component of many contemporary research fields (e.g., digital transformation research). Despite its normative appeal and institutional support, interdisciplinary collaboration entails substantial challenges, including issues of career development and the coordination of diverse epistemic cultures (Vladova et al. 2025; Vienni-Baptista & Klein 2022). A central yet discussed question concerns the conditions under which interdisciplinary teamwork can be considered successful and which factors shape its outcomes (Bammer et al. 2020). To approach this question, we conducted a questionnaire study with 85 members from various disciplines and hierarchical levels of interdisciplinary project teams. The questionnaire was developed based on interdisciplinary and integration science, team science, and evaluation literature, as well as input from scientists in workshops (Suckow et al. 2024) and contained open-ended and closed questions. In the quantitative analysis, we identified two key dependent variables: satisfaction with the interdisciplinary project and perceived project success. In regression models, satisfaction was derived from the feeling of learning as a positive driver. For self-estimated success, the presence of publication and career opportunities was identified as a relevant positive driver. Open answers revealed recurring themes concerning tensions in project management when expectations regarding time, careers and data management differed. Together with the panel, we are interested in how these results can be applied in terms of learning research organizations, new career paths and resilient futures of knowledge societies.