Sensemaking During Unfolding Events

Abstract

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.

Contributors

Mei-Hua Lin

Helen Altman Klein

Conference

Publication date: June 2009

Publication date (Print): June 2009

Pages: 235-236

Affiliations

Wright State University

Article

DOI: 10.14236/ewic/NDM2009.30

Copyright statement: © Mei-Hua Lin et al. Published by BCS Learning and Development Ltd. 9th Bi-annual International Conference on Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM9), BCS London

License:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Conference name: 9th Bi-annual International Conference on Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM9)

Conference acronym: NDM

Conference number: 9

Conference location: BCS London

Conference date: 23 - 26 June 2009

Conference sponsor: Electronic Workshops in Computing (eWiC)

Conference theme: Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM9)

Product

Product Information: 1477-9358BCS Learning & Development

Self URI (article page): https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.14236/ewic/NDM2009.30

Self URI (journal page): https://ewic.bcs.org/

Categories

Series title: Electronic Workshops in Computing