The Cynefin Company

The Cynefin Company, formerly known as Cognitive Edge, is a pioneering brand founded in 2005 by Dave Snowden. They specialize in developing management approaches that empower organizations to thrive in complex, uncertain environments. At the heart of their practice is SenseMaker®, a unique research method inspired by the Cynefin complexity framework.

SenseMaker® is a powerful tool that helps understand and categorize intricate or uncertain situations, enabling effective decision-making. It combines large-scale data capture with the power of narrative, allowing respondents to give meaning to their own experiences. This approach avoids the epistemic injustice of third-party or algorithmic interpretation.

The rich context of narrative combined with the scale of numbers is intuitive and accessible to anyone, making it a versatile tool for researchers, policymakers, and decision-makers across various sectors. SenseMaker® has been successfully deployed in commercial companies, governments, academic research studies, and initiatives for public good. It provides unique insights into business, markets, employees, and broader socio-economic contexts.

By embracing the complexity and uncertainty of the world, SenseMaker® helps organizations prioritize human values, diversity, and different viewpoints for a sustainable future