SesnseMaker® is a narrative reporting resource that allows the collection of short stories. In this case, the narratives are related to the process of accompanied integration into Italian society which is facilitated through relationships between refugees and local community members--volunteers, social workers, and residents.
First, respondents share their short narratives. Then, the sense-making process begins. Respondents have to interpret their own narratives by answering a number of questions in various formats: by putting a mark on a triangle or linear scale, answering a multiple-choice question, and/or putting a mark on a grid. These responses add meaning to the fragments and provide quantitative data that can be linked back to the original material. In this way, SenseMaker transfers the power of interpretation from an expert or an algorithm to the respondent. After the questionnaire is complete, the data is analyzed to detect visual patterns and clusters among the micro-narratives. This analysis allows the researchers not only to identify underlying attitudes and patterns of behavior across this self-reported data but it also creates advanced decision support, as well as additional research and monitoring capability.
The Humanitarian Corridor Research Project uses SenseMaker for surveys in order to:
a) collect a greater number of micro-narratives, b) identify and use quantitative social research data, and c) discover current concerns or opportunities related to the Humanitarian Corridor project.
