Developing a model of distributed sensemaking: a case study of military analysis

Article

Wheat, A., Attfield, S. and Fields, B. 2016. Developing a model of distributed sensemaking: a case study of military analysis. Informatics. 3 (1). https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics3010001
TypeArticle
TitleDeveloping a model of distributed sensemaking: a case study of military analysis
AuthorsWheat, A., Attfield, S. and Fields, B.
Abstract

In this paper, we examine the role of representational artefacts in sensemaking. Embodied within representational media, such as maps, charts and lists, are a number of affordances, which can furnish sensemakers with the ability to perform tasks that may be difficult to do inside the head. Presented here is a study of sensemaking in action. We conducted a study of military intelligence analysts carrying out a training exercise, the analysis of which focuses on the use of external task-specific representations. We present a discussion of the findings of our study in the form of a model of distributed sensemaking. Our model concentrates on the interaction of information and various representational artefacts, leading to the generation of insights and a situation picture. We also introduce a number of levels of description for examining the properties and affordances offered by representational artefacts and their role in the sensemaking process.

Keywordssensemaking; distributed cognition; thinking and reasoning; information behaviour; visual representations
PublisherMDPI
JournalInformatics
ISSN
Electronic2227-9709
Publication dates
Print26 Feb 2016
Publication process dates
Deposited10 May 2016
Accepted16 Feb 2016
Output statusPublished
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Copyright Statement

© 2016 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons by Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics3010001
Web of Science identifierWOS:000442307200002
LanguageEnglish
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