Sensemaking – the theory of Carl Weick

The concept of sensemaking is well-named: its purpose is obvious at first glance. At second glance, it becomes more differentiated, as is almost always the case: why do we need a new term in addition to interpretation, measurement, benchmarking and all the others?

We will answer this question when we look at sensemaking in detail:

When do I need sensemaking
What is sensemaking
How does sensemaking work
What is the difference to measuring and interpreting
What is the difference to situational awareness

We will rely heavily on Carl Weick’s explanations on the topic. Weick arguments that sensemaking is part of constructing a reality, not just measuring or interpreting it. Stay tuned, this is not an esoteric phantasy, but a valid description of an activity..

How can I know what I think until I see what I say? Carl Weick

Opportunities for sensemaking

The need or simply opportunities for sensemaking arise in situations that disrupt expectations or understanding. These situations often involve a need to make sense of something that is new, unexpected, or ambiguous.

This is not simply about filling a lack of information. Instead, it is about actively constructing meaning and understanding. They can involve both individual and social processes and can lead to changes in understanding, behavior, and organizational practices. It is important to note that the label or category that is applied to the novelty is consequential for how the situation is framed and understood, like surprises, ambiguity or disruptions.

Sensemaking can also be triggered when people are asked to think about or explain a situation or when they notice gaps between perceptions and expectations. People may actively seek information to help bridge these gaps.

What is sensemaking

Sensemaking is the process of creating meaning from experiences, particularly in situations that are unexpected, complex, ambiguous, or uncertain. It’s about how we interpret events, data, and information to understand what’s happening, why it’s happening, and what it means for us.

Making sense of the world: Sensemaking is a fundamental human activity. It is especially important when we face situations with incomplete information, conflicting interpretations, or unexpected events. We constantly try to make sense of our surroundings, the actions of others, and the events that unfold around us.
An active process shaping reality: Expectations and actions influence each other and the environment, which in turn influences experiences, focus and the next questions. We can say, sensemaking actively constructs our reality.
Other than measuring: Unlike measuring, sensemaking is circular and reflexive. It is not fixated on gathering specific data points, often treated as discrete and objective. Sensemaking understands that the targets of perception are not constant and immutable.
More than interpretation: Sensemaking involves analyzing information, constructing narratives, and engaging in dialogue with others to develop a shared understanding of a situation. Unlike interpretation, it is an active, ongoing process of constructing meaning, invention and creation. It involves framing, creating facticity, and making the subjective more tangible.
Retrospective view: Sensemaking typically looks back at past events to understand their significance, to help us to anticipate future possibilities and plan accordingly.
Individual and collective: Sensemaking can be an individual cognitive process, but it also occurs in groups and organizations, where people work together to make sense of shared experiences.

The Seven Properties of Sensemaking

Grounded in Identity Construction: Sensemaking is deeply tied to our sense of self. We interpret events and situations based on who we perceive ourselves to be. Identity is fluid and evolves through interaction, influencing how we understand situations.
Retrospective: Sensemaking is backward-looking. We understand past actions and events based on present circumstances and outcomes. Current understanding retroactively shapes our interpretation of past actions.
Enactive of Sensible Environments: Our actions shape the environments we then interpret. We “enact” the world and are then influenced by our own actions.
Social: Sensemaking is a social process, influenced by interactions and shared understandings. The individuals’ sensemaking processes are interconnected.
Ongoing: Sensemaking is an continuous, never-ending process that evolves over time. What makes sense today can be revisited and reconfigured as circumstances and perspective change.
Focused on and by Extracted Cues: Sensemaking involves focusing on specific cues within the information stream, these are influenced by context and personal dispositions. The “what” we select and embellish is often only a small portion of the overall data and is made salient due to context and individual viewpoints.
Driven by Plausibility Rather Than Accuracy: The goal is to make a situation plausible and sensible to guide action, not necessarily to create an accurate representation of reality.

Using Sensemaking in Organizations

Remember that sensemaking is an iterative, collaborative, and adaptive process that balances past experiences, current realities, and future possibilities to navigate complexity.

1. Create Retrospective Images and Narratives

What it means: Sensemaking involves looking back at past events or situations to make sense of the present. People construct narratives or images that explain how things came to be.
Why it’s important: This retrospective analysis helps individuals or groups identify patterns, clarify what has happened, and make informed decisions about what to do next.
Example: After a project fails, a team reviews past actions, decisions, and events to understand the root causes and prevent similar issues in the future.

2. A Collective Process

What it means: Sensemaking is not done in isolation – it often involves collaboration, discussion, and negotiation among groups or teams.
Why it’s important: Different perspectives contribute to a richer understanding of the situation, reducing blind spots and biases.
Example: During a crisis, leaders and teams collaborate to pool information, share insights, and develop a shared understanding of the problem and potential solutions.

3. Seek to Understand the Sources of Stability and Change

What it means: Sensemaking involves identifying what remains constant in a situation and what is changing. This helps in understanding the dynamics at play.
Why it’s important: Recognizing stability provides a foundation to build upon, while understanding change helps in adapting strategies and responses.
Example: A company adapting to new market trends might assess which customer needs have remained steady and which have shifted due to technological advancements.

4. Use Multiple Cues to Create Mental Models

What it means: Sensemaking requires drawing on various sources of information or “cues” to form a mental model – a simplified representation of reality that guides understanding and action.
Why it’s important: Relying on diverse cues reduces the risk of making decisions based on incomplete or biased information.
Example: When assessing the impact of a new competitor, a business may consider factors like pricing, customer reviews, market share, and marketing strategies to form a comprehensive view.

5. Use Plausibility Tests

What it means: Instead of seeking absolute truth, sensemaking focuses on creating explanations or narratives that are plausible and actionable in the given context.
Why it’s important: In complex or uncertain situations, perfect accuracy may be unattainable, but plausible explanations enable timely decisions and actions.
Example: In a rapidly evolving public health crisis, decision-makers may act based on plausible trends in infection rates rather than waiting for complete data.

Misconceptions of Sensemaking

Some misconceptions arise from oversimplifying sensemaking or misunderstanding its complexity. Sensemaking is a nuanced process that incorporates emotions, collaboration, iteration, and adaptability to make meaning in uncertain or complex situations.

It is not the same as perception or cognition Sensemaking is often confused with perception (the process of interpreting sensory input) or cognition (the mental process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought and experience).

Sensemaking involves interpreting and organizing information to construct meaning, especially in complex or ambiguous situations. It’s an active, meaning-making process rather than just passive information intake.

Example: Perceiving smoke and associating it with fire is perception and cognition. Sensemaking is piecing together multiple cues (smoke, alarms, people’s reactions) to determine whether it’s a controlled fire (e.g., a barbecue) or an emergency.

It is not a purely rational process Sensemaking involves emotions, intuition, and subjective interpretation, especially when dealing with uncertainty or incomplete information. People rely on both logical reasoning and emotional reactions to create plausible narratives or explanations.

Example: In a workplace conflict, sensemaking might involve both analyzing the facts of the situation and interpreting the emotional dynamics between colleagues to understand the root cause of the issue.

It is not a purely individual process While individuals can engage in sensemaking, it is often a social and collective process. Groups and teams contribute diverse perspectives, share information, and negotiate meaning to create a shared understanding.

Example: After a natural disaster, communities engage in collective sensemaking by pooling experiences, sharing knowledge, and collaborating to understand the scope of the damage and organize recovery efforts.

It is not a linear process with a clear beginning, middle, and end Sensemaking is often assumed to follow a straightforward sequence, where information is gathered, analyzed, and resolved in a tidy manner. Instead, is a cyclical, iterative, and dynamic process. People revisit, reinterpret, and revise their understanding as new information emerges or as the situation evolves.

Example: During a pandemic, initial sensemaking might focus on understanding how the virus spreads. As new variants emerge, people revisit earlier assumptions, reinterpret risks, and adjust responses accordingly.

Sources

Weick, Karl E. 1995. Sensemaking in Organizations. Foundations for Organizational Science. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Table Of Contents

Opportunities for sensemaking
What is sensemaking
The Seven Properties of Sensemaking
Using Sensemaking in Organizations
Misconceptions of Sensemaking

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