Multi-disciplinary Approach to 6G

6G aims to address a number of societal challenges, while promising performance improvements over prior generations of international mobile communication technology. This calls for going beyond a traditional technology-driven approach in mobile communication system development and considering a wider set of values that are particularly driven by sustainability principles. In this 6G era, multi-disciplinarity, covering disciplines beyond telecommunications engineering, becomes an increasingly important approach to develop future-proof mobile communication technologies and services. This paper introduces a multi-disciplinary approach to 6G research and development (R&D) considering technology, business, regulation, and sustainability perspectives. Key topics and tools are introduced together with two case examples that illustrate how multi-disciplinarity, considering the proposed four perspectives, can bring new insights into practical topics relevant for 6G R&D.