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Discovering information behavior in sense making. I. Time and timing

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  • Paul Solomon

Abstract

This study used the methods of ethnography of communication to explore the information behavior in sense making of participants in the annual work planning of a unit of a public agency. To capture the dynamic time aspects of the work‐planning task, the study continued over three annual iterations of this work‐planning process. The term sense making is used to convey the participants' characterization of their information behavior. This article explores the sense making that took place from the point of view of time and timing. The analysis revealed broad patterns of repetitive action that structured the work‐planning process and limited or focused future action. Data was repeatedly collected early in the annual process, requiring subsequent and repeated updating and verification. A computer database of project information focused data collection and processing on details that were never used and neglected others that required independent data collection, processing, and display. Such findings suggest the role that time plays in capturing meaning from data that has a time value. Understanding of the role of time suggests some possible approaches for improving information management and the design of information systems. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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  • Paul Solomon, 1997. "Discovering information behavior in sense making. I. Time and timing," Journal of the American Society for Information Science, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 48(12), pages 1097-1108, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jamest:v:48:y:1997:i:12:p:1097-1108
    DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4571(199712)48:123.0.CO;2-P
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    Cited by:

    1. Abdul Rohman, 2021. "The emergence, peak, and abeyance of an online information ground: The lifecycle of a Facebook group for verifying information during violence," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 72(3), pages 302-314, March.
    2. Árni Már Einarsson & Morten Hertzum, 2021. "How do makers obtain information for their makerspace projects?," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 72(12), pages 1528-1544, December.
    3. Stan Karanasios & Aljona Zorina, 2023. "From participation roles to socio‐emotional information roles: Insights from the closure of an online community," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 74(1), pages 33-49, January.

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