In Sensemaking, a code is a short, descriptive, meaningful label that helps capture the meaning of a highlight. It’s like a tag that sums up the ideas, topic, or emotions of what was shared.
For example, if an excerpt from a highlight is “I felt really isolated during the pandemic, but it also pushed me to reach out to people I hadn’t talked to in years”, you might use codes like:
- reaching out
- loneliness
- new behaviors
Each code is simple on its own, but together they start to reveal deeper insights.
The Spectrum of Codes
When labeling highlights, you can be as concrete or as abstract as you want. Each type of code adds value to your shared codebook.
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Concrete codes are very specific and are often directly found or heard in your highlight.
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From the highlight: “I was also depressed. So sad. It was the loneliness. I felt like climbing the walls.”
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Codes: “depression”, “loneliness”, “sadness”
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Middle-ground codes blend description with some interpretation.
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From the highlight: “I actually reached out to more people in one year than I had in 10 years. I called everyone in my contact list. I called my dentist.”
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Codes: "craving human connection", “new networks”,
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Conceptual codes capture more abstract ideas or topics that go beyond what is said but what you interpret when you read between the lines.
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From the highlight: “My mom really helped me shape education because she was always involved in the school.”
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Codes: “parental influence”, “family involvement”
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The key is that all codes are valid—whether they’re highly concrete, interpretive, or conceptual. By adding as many codes as you see in a highlight, you’re stocking your library of labels. Over time, you can refine, group, and organize these codes into a codebook that grows as you connect highlights and begin to see the deeper patterns and themes across your conversations.