Abstract
We re-imagine prospective sense-making as a mechanism to explore beyond the boundaries of individual and organisational experience. This study challenges sense-making’s reliance on temporal division, which frames retrospection and prospection as functions of past and future perfect. We argue that the application of temporal division to sense-making limits contemporary theorising and acts to exclude potential sense-makers. We propose a refreshed focus on experiential boundaries as a means of moving beyond the present debate and toward a new paradigm for prospective sense-making. In our study we draw upon an analysis of prospective sense-making about serious and organised crime resulting from interaction between police professionals and academics. Our findings demonstrate the benefits of accessing alternate sources of experience for all participants. They chart active attempts to explore beyond experiential limits, unhindered by the constraints of interpretation using solely the lens of what is already understood.