Sensemaking is the process of constructing mental models and meaning from ongoing environmental input in order to respond effectively. It refers to the cognitive and interpretive processes used to interpret, analyze and make sense of complex situations in order to inform our decisions and actions. Sensemaking involves understanding patterns and relationships between events, organizing them into concepts or hypotheses and then forming mental models of the system in which they are embedded. It becomes increasingly important in uncertain and unpredictable environments due to its ability to provide a framework for dealing with complex, multidimensional issues.

See also: decision making, complexity science, collective intelligence, systems thinking, emergent property