The Domains

Much of human knowledge is symbolic in nature, we understand the world through shared references, metaphors, cliches and other approximations. This symbolic knowledge is bundled into units called domains. There are millions of small and large domains, from Gregorian chanting to Accountancy, each with their own rules, notations, and intricacies. Shared domains add up to create culture, and as domains change so to does the culture.

We use domains as our primary means of making money, I will be an accountant, or a nurse, a social worker or an artist. For better or worse we structure our organisations around the domains, we have functional specialties in Accounting, Human Resources, Operations etc.

Domains are made of three dimensions

• Clarity of structure
  
• Centrality within the culture
• Accessibility to information / knowledge / symbols of the domain

Csikszentmihalyi gives an illustrative example of how domains can be used to predict the creativity of an organisation. Suppose we have two drug companies, each structured in similar ways and spending the same amount on research and development how might we predict which one will come up with a new drug first?

To answer the question we need to know three facts, Which has the most detailed data about pharmacology, effects etc? Which has the best way of disseminating information? Where is it easier to test hypotheses?

The organisation where knowledge is better structured, more central and more accessible will usually be he more creative and more likely to develop new drugs. The same is true for any domain within an organisation