Making Sense of IS with the Cynefin Framework

This paper examines aspects of the field of Information Systems (IS) concerned with its diversity and with the rapid changes within the discipline that have been incurred by the continued evolution of the IS artefact. This examination is done in order to establish the suitability of the Cynefin framework, developed for knowledge management, as a suitable tool for sense-making in IS. A description and assessment of the Cynefin framework is provided with its varied applications in both organisational practice and research. The paper then applies the framework to make sense of some historical trends and contemporary issues of IS emphasising their diversity and changing nature. We conclude with speculation on how this approach may help guide future sense-making in IS research. Disciplines Business | Social and Behavioral Sciences Publication Details Hasan, H. M. & Kazlauskas, A. (2009). Making sense of IS with the Cynefin framework. Proceedings of the Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems (PACIS) (pp. 1-13). Hyderabad, India: Indian School of Business. This conference paper is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow.edu.au/commpapers/959 MAKING SENSE OF IS WITH THE CYNEFIN FRAMEWORK. Helen Hasan Associate Professor of Information Systems Faculty of Commerce, University of Wollongong Wollongong. NSW 2522, Australia [email protected] Alanah Kazlauskas School of Business, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, NSW 2060, Australia [email protected]