A review of sensemaking design elements: towards an affordances typology

Abstract

This study explores the intersection of interaction design and sensemaking within digital systems, aiming to identify and categorize key affordances that enhance user sensemaking. Starting with a focused literature review, key design elements such as tagging and annotation are identified, important for effective sensemaking in interaction design. Drawing on Maier's construct of affordances, the behaviours of these design elements are analyzed to derive specific affordances integral to enhancing user experience. The primary objective is to develop a generalized affordance typology that supports sensemaking across various digital systems. This typology organizes the derived affordances into broad themes such as effortless discovery, expressive freedom, collaborative engagement, cognitive support, insight enhancement, and user empowerment. This typology serves as a tool for interaction designers, facilitating the application of these themes in various design scenarios to create more intuitive and effective digital environment for sensemaking.