Investigations within investigations: a recursive framework for scalable sensemaking support

Using a case-study of a fraud investigation we show that a major challenge in large-scale, collaborative sensemaking arises from the simultaneous decomposition and integration of elements of the task. Given the potential for sensemaking systems to support users in addressing this challenge, we analyse decomposition and integration within the case- study and provide a recursive framework of entities associated with a line of enquiry at any level of description. The framework includes: theories, questions, information seeking strategies, evidence and evidence collections, knowledge, assigned investigators and lower-level lines of enquiry. We develop the case for how systems built around such a framework can help address the decomposition/integration challenge.