online conversation as networks
DESCRIPTION
Online conversations (and even offline ones) are, deep down, networks. But how to visualize network data so that they make sense to non-network scientists? Presentation at the second CATALYST consortium meeting.TRANSCRIPT
Online conversation as networksFebruary 2014
Got data. Now what?
Overwhelmed?
Look closer!
What can you say about a conversation without reading it all?
What can you say about a conversation without reading it all?
• look at the visualization
What can you say about a conversation without reading it all?
• look at the visualization
• guess what it means
What can you say about a conversation without reading it all?
• look at the visualization
• guess what it means
• how would you, as community manager, react to this information?
What can you say about a conversation without reading it all?
• look at the visualization
• guess what it means
• how would you, as community manager, react to this information?
• “the vocalizer” of the network analysis software conveys interpretations for you
Very important!
Very important!
• The network must be specified. It is important to define what nodes and edges represent.
Very important!
• The network must be specified. It is important to define what nodes and edges represent.
• Here (mostly): nodes => users, edges => comments
Is my team of moderators doing a good job?
With moderatorsDensity 0.028Average weighted degree 10.87Average distance 2.3
No moderatorsDensity 0.013Average weighted degree 3.7Average distance 3.3
No moderatorsDensity 0.013Average weighted degree 3.7Average distance 3.3
With moderatorsDensity 0.028Average weighted degree 10.87Average distance 2.3
Moderators rock!
Moderators rock!
• “No user left behind”: they connect to the general conversation people that are not talking to each other.
Moderators rock!
• “No user left behind”: they connect to the general conversation people that are not talking to each other.
• They reduce the average distance between members by one hop
Moderators rock!
• “No user left behind”: they connect to the general conversation people that are not talking to each other.
• They reduce the average distance between members by one hop
• They increase the average weighted degree (number of interactions on the network) from 4 to 11
How sustainable is my community?
Posts by contributor (cumulated)
0
100
200
300
400
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
moderators Community
0
500
1000
1500
2000
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Comments by contributor (cumulated)
User generated content as a share of the total content
0
0,25
0,5
0,75
1
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Share of CommentsShare of Posts
Share of the conversation that does NOT involve moderators
0
0,25
0,5
0,75
1
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Share of participating usersShare of relationships
Not much, but getting better
Not much, but getting better
• Almost all posts and about two thirds of the comments are produced by the community, not the moderators.
Not much, but getting better
• Almost all posts and about two thirds of the comments are produced by the community, not the moderators.
• BUT A lot of the interactions involve moderators. Drop them at your own risk!
Not much, but getting better
• Almost all posts and about two thirds of the comments are produced by the community, not the moderators.
• BUT A lot of the interactions involve moderators. Drop them at your own risk!
• On the plus side, the share and number of interactions NOT involving moderators are both growing.
Are specialized subcommunities emerging?
Moderators removedModularity 0.5 (>0.4 = “high”)Subcommunities are clearly visible
Are subcommunities specializing?Bluer edge = more specialization on one or few topics,Redder edge = no specialization, all topics equally discussed
It seems so! (but check absolute numbers)
How “broad” and “deep” are my results?
Topic treeBlue research questions are addressed by green posts, in turn validated by red comments
Topic tree (detail)
Topic tree (detail)
No validation
Topic tree (detail)
Lots of validation
Topic tree (detail)
Broad discussion, many points of view
Topic tree (detail)
Narrow discussion
Some are, some are not...
Some are, some are not...
• Check you are not relying on results from “narrow” and “shallow” discussion, however you might like the content!
Some are, some are not...
• Check you are not relying on results from “narrow” and “shallow” discussion, however you might like the content!
• Deploy moderators to ask the community to reinforce semmeingly important results that are not sufficiently validated
Now go do it!
A SNA module for Drupal
coming soon....