The role of attention triangulation in organizational learning processes

The word triangulation comes from the term “triangle,” which is a figure or object with three sides and corners. In the social sciences, triangulation is used to cross-validate findings and produce stronger theory by combining two or more methods or data-sources. If multiple methods or data-sources converge and support a finding it is considered to be more believable. In organization studies, the term attention triangulation designates the process where an organization combines three dimensions of attention (stability, vividness, coherence) to comprehend an issue (e.g., product safety) with greater speed, depth and precision. Each of the three dimensions of attention produces incomplete understanding of an issue. Triangulation between the three dimensions improves the speed, depth and precision with which an organization identifies weak cues about emerging issues that are potentially relevant. Attention triangulation is related to organizational learning. Learning from experience involves understanding the causes of particular experiences and identifying ways of repeating causes that lead to positive outcomes and preventing causes that lead to negative outcomes. Attending to weak cues is one way to collect data on potential or actual causes. Organizations often experience negative outcomes (e.g., accidents, crises) when they fail to attend to and act on weak cues that signal potential threats. Attention triangulation is one approach to address this problem.