A Conceptual Model of the Dimensions of Scientific Coordination

The need for coordination in science is increasingly acknowledged. At the same time, the meaning of the concept of scientific coordination is usually left implicit, which makes it difficult to identify, reward, and promote coordination in science where needed. This paper aims to clarify the concept of scientific coordination and introduces a conceptual model that differentiates the extent to which a research project is coordinated along three dimensions: shared goal setting, interdependencies, and management. With this model, we aim to provide a first step to enable stakeholders to analyse differences between ways in which scientists currently collaborate, and to reflect on whether, given a certain level of interdependency between sub-goals in a research project, appropriate levels of management and shared goals are present to successfully and efficiently answer scientific questions.