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Cognitive Edge solutions, comprised of open source methods, original research and the Cognitive Edge SenseMaker™ Software Suite, are delivered through the Cognitive Edge Network. The Cognitive Edge Network is a widely dispersed, cohesive Network of experienced professionals in private and public sector organisations from diverse disciplines with deep-rooted experience in both business and science. It includes academics and practitioners, in house and commercial consultants. Membership of the Network is attained through participation in an Accreditation programme.

The Cognitive Edge SenseMaker™ Software Suite provides a set of tools designed to enable informed decision making in organisations using both structured and unstructured data in a common environment. The Suite is fully integrated with a coherent body of formal methods is the outcome of several years of research into human based organizational complexity, sensemaking, decision making, knowledge sharing and narrative.

Title: Multi-ontology sense making; a new simplicity in decision making
Author: Dave Snowden
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The purpose of this article is to introduce a new simplicity into acts of decision making and intervention design in organisations.

Ontology is derived from the Greek word for being and it is the branch of metaphysics which concerns itself with the nature of things. In this article it is used to identity different types of system, each of which requires a different approach to both diagnosis and intervention.

The basic principles that underlie this paper are very easy to understand and are illustrated by an example of a children’s party. Multi-ontology sense making is about understanding when to use the outlined methods of management; the structured and ordered approach for planned outcomes and the un-ordered, emergent approach focused on starting conditions expressed as barriers, attractors and identities.

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