134 - Innovative Approaches to Sensemaking in STEM Projects to Engage Varied Voices

Abstract Information: Sensemaking is an important process that can bring a STEM project team and evaluation team together to mutually build understanding to better inform decision making – simultaneous goals of project management and formative program evaluation. Part data gathering and data analysis, sensemaking is a process that promotes the inclusion of diverse perspectives often using novel approaches based on emerging team capacities.

This AEA round table session will begin with an overview of sensemaking in STEM followed by several use cases that describe novel approaches used by our team of evaluators at The Rucks Group working on projects supported by federal grant funds from the DOE, NSF, and USDA. Drawing on several projects in which we serve as the external evaluator with a developmental evaluation lens, we share our experiences in designing and implementing four novel approaches for sensemaking, including facilitating “flipped” meetings using a monthly project tracker; reorienting project task teams to anticipate and prioritize future work; funneling presentations and participant voting to create a ranked to-do-list for the project team; and framing collaborative online documents to quickly gather wide- and narrow-perspectives on project milestones to aid integrative efforts within a multi-site team.

Each of these approaches to catalyze sensemaking engaged a variety of perspectives that might not otherwise have been amplified. While slightly different, each of these use cases created space to initiate and invite dialogue between members of the project and evaluation teams. Benefits of an inclusive approach to this dialogue included improved project reflection, informed planning and forecasting, the building of information systems, identification of potential gaps and duplication, increased clarity of project and elements from a 50,000 ft perspective and at ground zero, and the development of opportunities to deepen project cohesion and task integration- all artifacts in the practice of sensemaking. Borrowing sight as a point of reference in sensemaking from Cameron Norman (2014), the absence of varied voices in these discussions reduces teams’ ability to generate robust foresight due to the lack of hindsight and present sight.

We will conclude the session with opportunities for 1) participants to reflect on and consider ways in which to implement these approaches in their own work, and 2) to share other promising approaches for sensemaking in STEM-oriented projects.