ABSTRACT
Anticipatory thinking is the process of imagining how unexpected events may affect plans and practices. We engage in anticipatory thinking when we suspect that the margin for error has become too small, or that a vulnerability has become exposed. Anticipatory thinking lets us guard against or forestall potential threats. It is a form of sensemaking. Sensemaking often involves explaining events and diagnosing problems, a retrospective process (e.g., Weick, 1995). It can also consist of formulating expectancies about future events (e.g., Weick & Sutcliffe, 2001). It is this future-oriented aspect of sensemaking that interests us here-anticipatory thinking.
