The remainder of this article reviews the literature on sensemaking and learning, with
a particular focus on public inquiry processes. It then explains the methods associated with
our qualitative, interpretive study of three bushfires. We then present the findings and
develop a model of sensemaking and learning. Finally, we discuss the implications.
Sensemaking
Sensemaking is ‘an ongoing process that creates an intersubjective sense of shared
meanings through conversation and non-verbal behavior in face to face settings where actors
seek to produce, negotiate and maintain a shared sense of meaning’ (Gephart et al., 2010:
284–285). It comprises two primary concepts (Weick, 1995). First, the sensing component is
built on the premise that actors draw on their lived experience, which is informed by their
identity, and influences how they respond to stimuli such as events, triggers and surprises
(Weick et al., 2005). Cognitively, actors struggle to respond in a meaningful way in an
environment where events are perceived to be novel, triggers are seen as sudden, and surprise
is experienced as continuous because existing cues and frames offer little or no insight into
what is unfolding (Colville et al., 2012; Colville et al., 2013). Second, the making component
is built on the premise that people attempt to enact or create, sensible environments, through
‘conversational and social practices’ (Gephart, 1993: 1469) about specific events to arrive at
an understanding about what is plausible, rather than objectively accurate (Weick, 1995).
Actors use questioning, framing, bracketing and storytelling to give meaning to
organizational issues in a way that provides the basis for action, even during crises and
disasters (Brown and Jones, 2000; Maitlis, 2005).
Crises and disasters trigger ‘sensebreaking’ moments where people lose their ability
to impose meaning on events and routines are interrupted (Mantere, et al., 2012). As a result,
they also provide powerful conditions for sensemaking as people ask: What is going on?
(Weick, 1993) This questioning provides the opportunity to create new meanings, allowing
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