Paper Number
ICIS2025-1857
Paper Type
Short
Abstract
Users in digitally mediated work environments frequently experience shocks, which are disruptions that are novel, intense, and urgent. While sensemaking theory explains how users interpret shocks, it does not account for why interpretations differ between users. This study integrates Personal Construct Theory with sensemaking theory to explain the micro-level cognitive structures that shape interpretation. Based on 94 laddering interviews with university staff, we elicited 602 means-end chains that trace how users connect shock attributes to perceived consequences and personal values, revealing four shock themes: Balancing Work and Personal Life, Remote Working, Disturbances and Notifications, and Workplace and Tools. Even ostensibly non-IT shocks were often digitally mediated, underscoring IT’s embeddedness. The findings show how users’ cognitive structures align with sensemaking activities, offering a conceptual bridge between process and content in shock interpretation. This integration advances research by explaining interpretive divergence in shocks and outlining a path to formalize micro-level sensemaking mechanisms.
Recommended Citation
Lumivalo, Juuli; Maier, Christian; and Tuunanen, Tuure, "Explaining Users’ Interpretation of Shocks: Integrating Personal Construct Theory with Sensemaking" (2025). ICIS 2025 Proceedings. 13.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2025/is_transformwork/is_transformwork/13
Explaining Users’ Interpretation of Shocks: Integrating Personal Construct Theory with Sensemaking
Users in digitally mediated work environments frequently experience shocks, which are disruptions that are novel, intense, and urgent. While sensemaking theory explains how users interpret shocks, it does not account for why interpretations differ between users. This study integrates Personal Construct Theory with sensemaking theory to explain the micro-level cognitive structures that shape interpretation. Based on 94 laddering interviews with university staff, we elicited 602 means-end chains that trace how users connect shock attributes to perceived consequences and personal values, revealing four shock themes: Balancing Work and Personal Life, Remote Working, Disturbances and Notifications, and Workplace and Tools. Even ostensibly non-IT shocks were often digitally mediated, underscoring IT’s embeddedness. The findings show how users’ cognitive structures align with sensemaking activities, offering a conceptual bridge between process and content in shock interpretation. This integration advances research by explaining interpretive divergence in shocks and outlining a path to formalize micro-level sensemaking mechanisms.
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