A classification of sensemaking representations

Interest in sensemaking has recently gained prominence in
human-computer interaction research. Efforts are being made to better understand sensemaking to help inform the design of appropriate computer-based tools. In this position paper we address the problem of design by presenting a propositional classification of sensemaking situations from a representational perspective. When people engage in sensemaking they organize information into structures which they use as a basis for guiding interpretation and the search for further data. It is these structures that we look at and classify in terms of representations. This position paper argues that such a classification can be used as a starting
point to inform the design of sensemaking support tools.