Social Network Analysis

From informal conversations to

tangible assets

Dr. Laurence Lock Lee

Optimice Pty Ltd

www.optimice.com.au

llocklee@optimice.com.au

Agenda

What is SNA? A Brief History – Friendships to Enterprise 2.0 Tangible outcomes SNA and Enterprise 2.0

One Minute Introduction to SNA Maps

Individuals are represented as circles (nodes)

An arrow pointing from one individual to another indicate the direction of the relationship

Colour or shape of node can represent organisational belonging, geography or other relevant attribute

Eg. Linda often asked for input

Identify Unofficial Organisational Roles

Central connector ‘Go-to’ people

Boundary spanner Bridging networks

Information broker Moves knowledge around

Peripheral specialist Outside the network

Key

London

Houston

Melbourne

Perth

Key

London

Houston

Melbourne

Perth

Types of SNA Maps2 key types of SNA maps:

Ego-nets Mapping of individuals’ relationships For example

‘Who do you ask for advice’‘Who do you go for information?’

Affinity maps Mapping of links based on a shared attribute For example

‘Who is certified in Project Management’

‘Who has worked in Financial Services’

A brief history of SNAJacob Moreno studies friendship links among school children

www.INSNA.org

SNA – Art or Science?

Mark Lombardi’s hand drawn sociograms were exhibited as art, but were also real representations of his research on conspiracies in the 1990s

SNA and the Business World

www.ONA-Pracwww.ONA-Prac

Tangible Outcomes from SNA

Sell More

Preserving ExpertiseBetter Knowledge Sharing

Building Better Communities

More Innovation Competitive Intelligence

Organisational Re-structures that work

“Go to” people in the Sales Network

President

Vice President

> $50mill deals

= High Value Nodes

New Leverage?

Succession Planning - Advice Network – by time in Train Planning

1

10

11

110

11112

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

220

21

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25

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27

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6

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7374

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798

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9

90

91

Less than 1 yearBetween 1&3 years

Between 3&10 years

More than 10 years

No response

The data identifies that the Train Planning network is dominated by longer term staff members. New-comers may be finding it difficult to penetrate the established networks

How can newcomers engage more quickly with the “network”?

Organisational Re-Design

Business Support

Operating Timetable

Major Projects & STNs

Program Delivery

Operations Analysis

Graphic Support

Managers Office

Trainee

Dept 2Dept 1

Dept 3Dept 4Other (internal)ExternalInternal System/ Repository

Individual

Group

Entity

Brokers or gatekeepers?

Brokers or gatekeepers?

Case Study: Knowledge and Information Audit

Innovation NetworkWho did you go to for new ideas or innovative solutions?

Program Office Program OfficeX

Ownership Networks in Australian Media

Macquarie Media

Southern Cross

Broadcasting

Before Takeover

Macquarie Media

After Takeover

SNA and Enterprise 2.0

Uncovering social dynamics

Proposition: Can we predict collaborative performance?

The new enterprise data warehouse?

Understanding the on-line trust network

Wiki Page-Editor Relationships

Wikipatterns web site

Wiki Net Mining

“Mined (inferred)” Relationships Stated Relationships (from survey)

Wikipatterns – central players

name Degree name Degree

Stewart Mader 1367.153 Stewart Mader 9

bart+massey 252.662 Guy Fraser 7

Mike Cannon-Brookes 212.719 Charles Miller 6

Jonathan Nolen 73.42 Mike Cannon-Brookes 5

frauhofer 68.429 Jon Silvers 4

Charles Miller 64.538 Jonathan Nolen 4

fschop 38.742 Roberto Dominguez 4

Jon Silvers 36.934 Brendan Patterson 4

zoli 27.78 David Peterson 4

“Mined (inferred)” Relationships Stated Relationships (from survey)

Sustainable Communities

smader

Founder as central connector

Founder not present

Wiki Participant Roles

Respondents nominating high value achieved

Value Generating Roles

05

101520253035

CoreM

embe

r

Comm

enta

tor

SubEdit

or

Collab

orato

r

Browse

r

Subsc

riber

Explor

er

Roles

Rat

ing

Brokering Relationships

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

veryimportant

important useful not yet

Wiki relationships 15

Wiki facilitatedrelationship 22

Prior Relationship<2years 64

Prior Relationship>2years 16

Take-aways

SNA is a robust analytical technique with a long academic heritage

Tangible business benefits can accrue from its use

SNA is to Enterprise 2.0 social networking systems what Business Intelligence Systems are to ERP systems