A STITCH Framework for the Promotion of Consilience in Hybrid Creative-Engineering Teams
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vyas-avyas-sm-sdm-2026-thesis.pdf
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Author(s)
Vyas, Anisha
Advisor(s)
Moser, Bryan R.
Date Issued
February 2026
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Amongst the various cross-functional team structures used to tackle complex problems, hybrid creative-engineering teams combine creative and technical disciplines to deliver integrated solutions. These teams are increasingly responsible for delivering complex projects that must fulfill both creative and technical performance requirements. Traditional project management and systems engineering practices emphasize coordination, requirement definition, and interface management to minimize rework. Yet, these practices do not explicitly address how teams achieve shared understanding when the vocabulary of disciplines is inherently different, and the disciplinary criteria for correctness diverge. Author E.O. Wilson presents the idea of Consilience, the integration of multiple disciplinary representations into a single shared understanding. This thesis presents a “Consilience of Interfaces” approach to this challenge and introduces an operational framework, STITCH, that combines the mechanisms that impact consilience across these teams.
This thesis utilizes three experiential vignettes from the entertainment industry: animated figures (form vs function), construction façades (structure vs fidelity), and experience design (intimacy vs capacity). From these vignettes, this thesis derives six interrelated levers of meaningful progress: Shared Mental Models (S), Translation Routines (TR), Interface Stability (I), Tempo and Decision Cadence (T), Continuous Prototyping (C), and Healthy Friction (H). The framework developed is tested and improved through three case studies in other creative technical domains: fashion–engineering wearable technology, Broadway theatrical production, and visual effects production
teams. Each lever is applied and scored on a 0 to 1 scale through a structured qualitative assessment. From this, a Consilience Index (CI) score, defined as the normalized area of the team's radar plot, is calculated to measure team effectiveness across the entire ensemble of STITCH levers. Tradespace analyses were conducted to explore the sensitivity of each lever on the CI score.
Results from the analysis indicate robust shared mental models (S) and consistent tempo & decision cadence (T) are essential foundations for achieving consilience. Translation routines (TR) do not drive frontier performance but can help prevent breakdowns that can keep teams
stable. The analysis suggests that teams operating at the frontier are distinguished from other teams primarily by continuous prototyping (C) and healthy friction (H), while interface stability (I) was an emergent outcome rather than a principal driver. This thesis concludes that the STITCH framework can offer guidance for leaders to diagnose consilience within hybrid teams. However, future research is needed to push this framework towards practical implementation in industry teams.
MIT Department
System Design and Management Program.
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