How do we make sense of significance? Indications and reflections on an experiment

Figures & data

Table 1 The steps in the experiment process and their relation to sense-making literature.

Step	Task	Elements in the sense-making process
1	A SEA practitioner [A] reads a text and during the reading underlines and comments upon what is especially interesting/useful for understanding (interruptions for clarification if needed)	Noticing and labelling of information in the enactment of the case
2	[A] is asked to explain what she/he noticed (retell the text). ([A] is not informed of the following stages to avoid dominance of interpretation at this stage)	Retrospective account of the noticing of cues, labelling of information and potential beginning of a story of what the case is about
3	[A] is asked to determine possible significant environmental aspects	Creating stories of what is significant
4	[A] is asked how she/he would go on: is EA needed, what analyses, alternatives and measures are especially important?	Creating stories by searching for experience with relevant incidents
5	[A] is asked of her/his idea about why she/he noticed the specific cues and whether the noticing had a personal touch	Retrospective reflection on the noticing process by the test person (steps 1 and 2)
6	[A] is asked of her/his idea about why she/he pointed at the specific significant environmental aspects	Retrospective reflection on the stories created (steps 1 and 4)
7	Before concluding, [A] re-reads text to confirm his/her understanding (with a new pen colour)	A test for a changed perceptual framework owing to the thoughts in steps 4–6 and more detailed knowledge about the experiment
8	[A] is asked about potential changes in understanding caused by the second reading in step 7	Retrospective reflection on potential changes and the reasons for these
9	[A] is confronted with statements uttered during the experiment	Confrontation of statements may give reactions in line with Weick's recipe of ‘How can I know what I think until I hear what I say?’
10	As a recapitulation [A] is asked about reflections on and learning in the experiment	It may give indications of how the test persons think about their sense-making process

Table 2 Test persons in the experiment.

	No or little familiarity with SEA	Very familiar with SEA
Very familiar with the energy case	Lotte, Anynomous, Christian	Per, Stine
Little familiar with the energy case	Kristian	Martin, Sanne, Anja

Figure 1 The case text presented to the test persons.

Table 3 Profiles within the dimensions of familiarity with preparing SEA and familiarity with the energy case indicated by the experiment.

	No or low level of familiarity with SEA	High level of familiarity with SEA
High level of familiarity with the energy case	Relating (Lotte, Anonymous, Christian)	Settling (Per, Stine)
Low level of familiarity with the energy case	Seeking (Kristian)	Arranging (Martin, Sanne, Anja)

Table 4 Test persons' dominant framings of the case and their influence on significance determination.

Person	Framing	Influence on significance determination	Time of expression
Per	Complex systems cause conflicts and are not needed – and nature is not the problem	No doubt about need for application of SEA. Focus on nature and land-use in terms of impacts. Focus on low-tech alternatives	1 min
Stine	How to get a smooth authority approval process	SEA not automatically necessary, but depending on authorities	1 min
Christian	Societal relevance of the technologies	SEA should have been done before delimiting to three technologies	1 min
Anonymous	Inadequate solutions to energy system planning	Critical stance on the choice. Arguing for a range of alternatives	3 min
Sanne	Initiatives are unpopular among locals	Focus on impacts on local citizens	5 min
Lotte	Potential for synergies	Positive potential among significant effects	7 min
Martin	Valid determination of technologies	Initial refraining from suggesting alternatives	14 min
Kristian	A planning task	A spatial focus in terms of significant impacts	14 min
Anja	The big picture	(Not noticeable)	22 min