Unknown Unknowns in Innovative Projects: Early Signs Sensemaking

Abstract This study aims to understand early signs’ sensemaking relevance to identifying unknown unknowns on innovative projects. When managing these projects, early signs of changes in the environment, combined with a sensemaking process, can help identify them prior to their occurrence and mitigate unwanted effects of these uncertainties. To this end, we conducted a field research to assess 16 projects, totaling 35 events representative of this kind of uncertainty. Based on in-depth interviews, we performed an initial qualitative analysis, and then applied non-parametric statistical tests....