Sense-making

Sense-making is the cognitive process by which individuals or groups create meaning and understanding from ambiguous, complex, or incomplete information. It involves interpreting events, situations, and data to construct a coherent picture of the world and their place within it. This often requires integrating new information with existing knowledge, identifying patterns, making inferences, and constructing narratives to reduce uncertainty and guide action. Sense-making is a dynamic, iterative process that adapts as new information emerges and perspectives shift, and can be individual or a collective effort. It’s crucial for decision-making, problem-solving, and navigating uncertain environments. It frequently deals with information gaps and requiring creative solutions and often involves the process of finding the answers to the "who, what, where, when and why" questions.

Sense-making meaning with examples

• A detective uses Sense-making to piece together clues at a crime scene, forming a narrative of events to understand what happened. They analyze forensic evidence, witness statements, and victimology, iteratively adjusting their theory as new information emerges. This Sense-making process drives the investigation toward solving the case and identifying the perpetrator, by trying to answer the questions about the incident to create a clear picture.
• After a product launch, a marketing team engages in Sense-making by analyzing sales data, customer feedback, and social media reactions. They identify trends, assess campaign effectiveness, and adjust their strategy based on what they are interpreting from the received information, building a refined approach. This helps them to understand and refine the campaign.
• During a natural disaster, emergency responders engage in real-time Sense-making to assess the situation, coordinate rescue efforts, and allocate resources effectively. They gather information from various sources (e.g., satellite images, on-the-ground reports) to build a shared understanding of the situation, which helps them to devise a plan.
• A scientist uses Sense-making when interpreting experimental data and formulating theories about the world. They make inferences, identify relationships, and build models to explain the observations, which can change over time. This process is a cornerstone of scientific discovery and knowledge accumulation, as they create a narrative.
• A new employee engages in Sense-making to navigate their workplace culture, understand their role, and build relationships with colleagues. They observe behaviors, read company communications, and ask questions to create a cohesive picture. This helps to integrate the new employee within the organization and perform in the best way.