Logo, Cognitive Edge


Cognia bases its service around sophisticated processes and software developed by Dave Snowden and the Cognitive Edge Organisation, and distributed internationally through the Cognitive Edge Network.

Headquartered in Singapore, Cognitive Edge Pte Ltd was created in 2006 to continue work originally initiated within the IBM company by Dave Snowden as the Cynefin Centre for Organisational Complexity. With support from organisations such as the Government of Singapore and DARPA (the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency), Cognitive Edge initially developed powerful software tools and processes to effectively facilitate the identification of over-the-horizon opportunities and threats, providing insight into issues of motivation, capability and intent of difficult-to-engage groups, such as terrorist movements. Now in more general use, the Cognitive Edge SenseMaker™ software suite provides unrivalled insight and understanding into a broad range of social issues that can cloud organisational decision making.

In bringing together a thorough scientific understanding of the behaviour of complex adaptive systems, and pioneering its application to the humanist and cognitive sciences, Dave Snowden has created a revolutionary method that not only explains the dynamics of our institutions and organisations on a systems level, but provides practical guidance to decision making in even the most complex, uncertain or intractable situations.

Participation in the Cognitive Edge network is through an accreditation programme in Cognitive Edge techniques, and enables practitioner access to the SenseMaker™ software suite. As a member of the network, Cognia subscribes to the philosophy of 'abundance not scarcity', allowing for the free sharing of "lessons-learned" knowledge and novel technique application between members of the international network, thereby providing our clients with significantly greater value consultations, and the network with a vastly more powerful issue identification capacity.

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Emerging Options P/L are Cognia's alliance partners in the Cognitive Edge network. With extensive experience working with organisations that span the public, private and community sectors, Emerging Options co-founders Viv Read and Chris Fletcher bring a wealth of experience in strategy, change management, industrial relations, leadership development,  marketing, business development, strategy and knowledge management to the network.

Emerging Options is the accredited Cognitive Edge Training Partner for Australia, and is Cognia’s preferred partner in those projects which require a high level of multi-disciplinary skills

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The Cognitive Edge Network

Button-1 Our Network

To help organisational managers and decision makers find ways to most effectively use resources, resolve complex issues, and create more resilient organisations, Cognia brings together the skills and experiences of its two principles, Mike Carroll and Sean Caddy. But it goes further than that too: As a member of the Cognitive Edge Network, Cognia taps into the distributed intelligence of a network of Cognitive Edge associates spread across the globe, in industry, government and academe.
Button-1 The Cognitive Edge Network

The Cognitive Edge Network is a widely dispersed, cohesive Network of experienced professionals in private and public sector organisations from diverse disciplines with deep-rooted experience in both business and science. It includes academics and practitioners, in-house and commercial consultants.

The overriding interest of Network members lies in rejuvenating management practices to better equip organisations when addressing intractable problems or seizing new opportunities in uncertain and complex situations, leveraging Cognitive Edge techniques to do so. Where traditional approaches have failed to deliver success, Cognitive Edge techniques enable the emergence of fresh and insightful solutions seen from multiple perspectives.