Sensemaking During Unfolding Events

Motivation – Organizations need to know how cognitive differences influence macrocognitive processes including information management and sensemaking. Research approach – To investigate the role of Analytic-Holistic thinking, 312 participants engaged in information management and sensemaking in the context of two unfolding scenarios. Findings/Design – Analytic-Holistic thinking directed initial sensemaking. Holistic thinkers were more influenced by information than were analytic thinkers and emphasized breadth over focus. People varied in their readiness to change their sense of a situation when faced with contradictory information. Limitations/Implications – While our scenarios were useful, more complex and possibly computer-based scenarios may better approximate naturalistic sensemaking and distributed teamwork. Originality/Value – We introduced a promising method for exploring sensemaking and information management and pioneered its use for investigating of analytic-holistic differences with implications for multinational collaborations. Take away message – In dynamic, complex domains, Analytic-Holistic thinking impacts sensemaking and information management and deserves continued attention.