Making Sense of Making Sense of SensemakingSensemaking

John C. ThomasJohn C. ThomasResearch Staff MemberResearch Staff Member

IBM T. J. Watson Research CenterIBM T. J. Watson Research CenterSensemaking Workshop: CHI 2005Sensemaking Workshop: CHI 2005Portland, Oregon April 3-4, 2005Portland, Oregon April 3-4, 2005

History: Some Relevant History: Some Relevant WorkWork

• Hobbits-Orcs: people operating at two levels ? – solving Hobbits-Orcs: people operating at two levels ? – solving andand sensemaking; or part of a single loop? sensemaking; or part of a single loop?

• Psychology of Aging: education decreases variancePsychology of Aging: education decreases variance• ““Subjects” are active sensemakers: Subjects” are active sensemakers: S-RS-R Frame Problem (Brad) Frame Problem (Brad)

verbal learning, visual maskingverbal learning, visual masking• Query By Example: did well at translating, not SMQuery By Example: did well at translating, not SM• Psychology of DesignPsychology of Design• Rational-Emotive Therapy: 2 year fellowshipRational-Emotive Therapy: 2 year fellowship• NYNEX: Led AI Lab; Proposal to make NYNEX a “Learning NYNEX: Led AI Lab; Proposal to make NYNEX a “Learning

Organization.”Organization.”• Business Uses of Stories and StorytellingBusiness Uses of Stories and Storytelling• Socio-technical Pattern LanguageSocio-technical Pattern Language• E-learning system uses metadata, user’s constraints and goals to E-learning system uses metadata, user’s constraints and goals to

build “custom course” pointed at current needsbuild “custom course” pointed at current needs• Tools for ConsultantsTools for Consultants• Now: Complexity Metrics & Orthogonal Defect ClassificationNow: Complexity Metrics & Orthogonal Defect Classification

Sensemaking: not just task-Sensemaking: not just task-oriented ?oriented ?

• The Magical Hurricane Fence The Magical Hurricane Fence • The Case of the Deranged DiskThe Case of the Deranged Disk• The Case of the Disconnected DoorbellThe Case of the Disconnected Doorbell

– Initially task-oriented within a specified context--- but jumping Initially task-oriented within a specified context--- but jumping “out” of the loop to realize you are solving the wrong problem“out” of the loop to realize you are solving the wrong problem

– When your task is trying to make sense of XYZ, when do you When your task is trying to make sense of XYZ, when do you realize that the whole enterprise may not be (only) about realize that the whole enterprise may not be (only) about objective truth wrt XYZ?objective truth wrt XYZ?

• Why am I pulled out of line at the airlines so often? Why am I pulled out of line at the airlines so often? – Annoying but no time to pursue (foraging theory); realize Annoying but no time to pursue (foraging theory); realize

bureaucratic swampbureaucratic swamp– Social network eventually provides pointer to New York Social network eventually provides pointer to New York

Magazine article about 2 years after problem first notedMagazine article about 2 years after problem first noted– Johnnie Thomas (80+ year old African American lady) also Johnnie Thomas (80+ year old African American lady) also

stoppedstopped– ““John Thomas” is an alias (1/20) of a 25 year old male John Thomas” is an alias (1/20) of a 25 year old male

terrorist (already in Jail)terrorist (already in Jail)– Sure enough, months of her effort to solve -- > no resultSure enough, months of her effort to solve -- > no result

Other sensemaking activities:Other sensemaking activities:Activities during which sensemaking plays a major Activities during which sensemaking plays a major rolerole

• Reading a novelReading a novel• Watching a movieWatching a movie• Playing chessPlaying chess• Playing “cops and robbers” (making sense of the future)Playing “cops and robbers” (making sense of the future)• PsychotherapyPsychotherapy• MeditationMeditation• Religious CeremoniesReligious Ceremonies• Finite and Infinite Games – Finite and Infinite Games – CarstenCarsten• George Carlin, Robin Williams: Making NONSENSE out of George Carlin, Robin Williams: Making NONSENSE out of

sensesense• Athletic contestsAthletic contests• DrugsDrugs• Taking a walkTaking a walk• ““Re-living” a traumatic event (making sense of the past)Re-living” a traumatic event (making sense of the past)• Rationalizing conflicting narrativesRationalizing conflicting narratives

H: Sensemaking exists at different H: Sensemaking exists at different levels levels of centrality of centrality to person and to person and behavior is behavior is

differentdifferent • What does it mean to be alive?What does it mean to be alive?• What does it mean to be human?What does it mean to be human?• What does it mean to be me?What does it mean to be me?• How does this new technique, How does this new technique, central to my central to my

profession, profession, work? (cf. George in Eben)work? (cf. George in Eben)• How do I do this laboratory test?How do I do this laboratory test?• Intermediate? Scenario with Intermediate? Scenario with teethteeth

– That is, use a scenario that “hooks into” the That is, use a scenario that “hooks into” the person’s professional identity with high person’s professional identity with high motivationmotivation

Possible relationships to “task-Possible relationships to “task-oriented” sensemakingoriented” sensemaking

• Focus only on task-related. Period.Focus only on task-related. Period.

• Broaden field of inquiryBroaden field of inquiry

• Focus on task-related, but other Focus on task-related, but other sensemaking activities and contexts sensemaking activities and contexts shed new light on task-related shed new light on task-related

• Cf. Plato system and computer Cf. Plato system and computer gamesgames

Hypothesis: Hypothesis:

• Crisis management tooling is best leveraged Crisis management tooling is best leveraged not not by tools to help during crisis by tools to help during crisis management, but by preparatory toolsmanagement, but by preparatory tools

• Collaborative team scenario enactmentCollaborative team scenario enactment• Recruitment & testingRecruitment & testing• MotivationMotivation• Shared ontology developmentShared ontology development• ““Common cases” shorthandCommon cases” shorthand• Kellogg Kellogg Blink Blink example: Red Team/Blue Team example: Red Team/Blue Team

Largely Neglected wins:Largely Neglected wins:

• Story: By David McKee Story: By David McKee refers refers to complex common to complex common experiences in filmexperiences in film– (echo of this in George’s initial “reminding” instructions)(echo of this in George’s initial “reminding” instructions)

• Robin Williams as the Genie in Robin Williams as the Genie in AladdinAladdin• Story as sensemaking Schank (cf. Kirsch, Shrager) Story as sensemaking Schank (cf. Kirsch, Shrager)

– CBT for SNA (@1985)CBT for SNA (@1985)– Patent Tool (@2000)Patent Tool (@2000)

• Speechflakes: humans not just IP; energy matters; Speechflakes: humans not just IP; energy matters; genetic predispositions mattergenetic predispositions matter

• Walking People Walking People by Paula Underwoodby Paula Underwood• Dialogue Dialogue David BohmDavid Bohm• Native American technique: eight different Native American technique: eight different life-long life-long

roles roles for group sense-making (cf. Modified Heur. for group sense-making (cf. Modified Heur. Eval).Eval).

Narrative SensemakingNarrative Sensemaking

• Not just “moment to moment” Not just “moment to moment”

• Must describe “trajectory”Must describe “trajectory”

• Experience allows and limits Experience allows and limits trajectory pathstrajectory paths

Memory Tales and Trails Memory Tales and Trails

Time 1 Time NTime of Critical Event

Framing filter

Memory Tales and Trails Memory Tales and Trails

Time 1 Time NTime of Critical Event

Framing filter

The Walking PeopleThe Walking People

• A Study of Cross-generational A Study of Cross-generational sensemakingsensemaking

• The oral history included lessons The oral history included lessons learned learned

• AND --- a growing repertoire of AND --- a growing repertoire of mechanisms for sensemaking and mechanisms for sensemaking and remembering remembering

ExamplesExamples

• Circle of circlesCircle of circles

• Redundancy, rhythm within oral historyRedundancy, rhythm within oral history

• Recruiting those with best memoryRecruiting those with best memory

• Training; verbatim & 3 alternativesTraining; verbatim & 3 alternatives

• Action-oriented checking: tree sizeAction-oriented checking: tree size

• Decades of slavery to mound-buildersDecades of slavery to mound-builders

• Rule of SixRule of Six

• Who Speaks for WolfWho Speaks for Wolf

Other cases of sensemakingOther cases of sensemaking

• I am watching I am watching Aladdin, Aladdin, Robin Williams Robin Williams comes on and I think, “Wow! What a comes on and I think, “Wow! What a great general model for remindings.”great general model for remindings.”

• I am sitting on the porch, watching the I am sitting on the porch, watching the reflection reflection of raindrops apparently falling of raindrops apparently falling up up and struck by the acceleration; relate and struck by the acceleration; relate to the “rising fast ball” in physics of to the “rising fast ball” in physics of baseballbaseball

Time in Quarters

Dollars of Profit in Millions

Actual Performance of NYNEX Business Centers

Time in Quarters

Dollars of Profit in Millions compared with prediction

Performance of NYNEX Business Centers/Mgm Report