senseformation

Senseformation is a term used in some strands of organizational theory and cognitive sociology to describe the early formation of meaning from data, events, and social cues. It refers to how individuals or groups construct initial frames, narratives, and expectations that shape subsequent interpretation and action. In this view, senseformation provides the preconditions and structures that make sense possible, including prior experiences, routines, language, and institutional context.

It is not universally standardized and is often discussed alongside sensemaking and sensegiving. Proponents see senseformation as focusing on the preconditions and structures that enable interpretation, whereas sensemaking emphasizes ongoing interpretation in action. Because of this overlap, the term can be used to highlight how early frames influence later inquiry, decision making, and responses to ambiguity.

Mechanisms include selective attention to signals, alignment of interpretations with organizational goals, the use of narratives and metaphors to render complexity manageable, and social negotiation within teams or communities of practice. Interpretations may be reinforced by power relations, routines, and standard operating procedures, which can both stabilize and constrain later reinterpretation.

Applications appear in studies of organizational change, crisis management, strategy formation, and the design of information systems. Critics caution that senseformation, like sensemaking, can be ill defined or context-dependent, and call for clear empirical methods to distinguish initial frames from subsequent interpretive work.