Sense Making

The theoretical approach to sense making is a set of assumptions, a set of research methods and a set of communication practices. According to Dervin, “The approach was originally developed to assess how patients/audiences/users/clients/citizens make sense of their intersections with institutions, media, messages, and situations and apply the results in designing responsive communication/information systems.” (Jacobson, pg 44 )

Sense making is the explicit acceptance of a reality assumed to by both orderly and chaotic. Sense making can be defined broadly in terms of the set of assumptions about reality, observing, and power suggested by Dervin in narrative #8. (Jacobson, pg 44) It 's the 'time and space' that lies in between something ordered and something chaotic. It allows humans to reason with the world and understand our surroundings. Dervin writes about two assumed mandates for humans with regards to sense making. The first is to make sense without complete instruction in a reality, which is itself in flux and requires continued sense-making. The second is to reach out to the sense made by others, in order to understand what insights it may provide into our continuing human dilemma. (Jacobson, pg 45 )

The theories and methodologies of sense making can help a designer provide information that helps close the gap between ordered and chaotic realities.