CITATION AND COPYRIGHT INFORMATION:
Cite as: Dervin, B. (1998). Sense-Making theory and practice: An overview of user interests in knowledge seeking and use. Journal of Knowledge Management, 2 (2), 36-46.
© Journal of Knowledge Management (1998).

CAUTION:
In publishing the article, Knowledge Management changed Sense-Making Methodology and Sense-Making approach to an inconsistent set of labels—Sense-making, Sense making, sense-making, sense making. Dervin’s use as of 1999 is as follows: Sense-Making Methodology refers to the methodological approach; Sense-Making approach, perspective etc. is a looser way of referring to the methodology; and sense-making and sense-unmaking are reserved for referring to the phenomena which is the focus of study mandated by the Sense-Making Methodology.

ABSTRACT:
The Sense-Making approach to studying and understanding users and designing systems to serve their needs is reviewed. The approach, developed to focus on user sense-making and sense-unmaking in the fields of communication and library and information science, is reviewed in terms of its implications for knowledge management. Primary emphasis is placed on moving conceptualizations of users, information, and reality from the noun-based knowledge-as-map frameworks of the past to verb-based frameworks emphasizing diversity, complexity, and sense-making potentials. Knowledge management is described as a field on the precipice of chaos, reaching for a means of emphasizing diversity, complexity, and people over centrality, simplicity, and technology. Sense-Making, as an approach, is described as a methodology disciplining the cacophony of diversity and complexity without homogenizing it. Knowledge is reconceptualized from noun to verb.

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