Social Network Analysis Made Easy

More than ever, we need to learn how to harness the power of networks to tackle the complex issues we're facing as a society. Here's a quick guide to the basics of social network analysis.

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Transcript

1. SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS ( made easy )
2. happiness is best predicted by the breadth & depth of one’s social connections. - Robert Putnam
3. WHY NETWORK ANALYSIS?
4. reason #1 The challenges we face are so complex they can’t be solved by any one organization.
5. The urgency and scale of social problems, coupled with the limited results to date, cry out for new approaches. - Jane Wei-Skillern, Nora Silver and Eric Heitz “Cracking the Network Code”
6. over 1.5 million non-profits in the US
7. Organizations have been the lever through which we try to create social change for far too long. ! We have to bring people together across sectors, from within and outside government, and from all walks of life.
8. Reason #2 Even within organizations, hierarchies aren’t accurate representations of how work actually gets done.
9. Reason #2 Even within organizations, hierarchies aren’t accurate representations of how work actually gets done. org charts lie!
10. Information doesn’t flow along organizational hierarchies. ! Networks are a far more accurate picture of how work gets done. org charts lie!
11. Reason #3 We must understand the status quo to overcome it.
12. The status quo is a result of the web of relationships and incentives among stakeholders (including us). ! It’s not that we’re “stuck” — it’s that competing interests provide a balancing effect that resists change.
13. hi there! Jeff Mohr Cofounder & CEO of Kumu
14. Jeff Mohr Cofounder & CEO of Kumu my background systems networks social change
15. So… WHERE can SNA help?
16. • Identifying change leaders • Breaking down silos • Evaluating progress • Driving innovation social impact increasing
17. • Weaving stronger connections • Bridging across silos • Reducing crime • Improving resilience stronger communities building
18. ORGANIZATION PERFORMANCE • Promoting effective collaboration • Avoiding burn out • Selecting new leaders • Uncovering informal structures improving
19. Great! How do i start?
20. 3 STEPS collect + interpret + act
21. Step 1 COLLECT THE DATA
22. Data can be collected via survey, pulled from existing data sources or populated via personal knowledge. surveys Data Knowledge Pull from spreadsheets, CRMs, public data, email traffic, social networks and more Surveys ask participants both relational and demographic questions Use the wisdom in the room to identify stakeholders and key relationships
23. • Who do you work with? • Who do you turn to for new ideas? • Who do you turn to for advice? • How does working with this person affect your energy levels? Examples of Relational Survey Questions
24. Examples of DEMOGRAPHIC Survey Questions • What is your age? • What sector do you work in? • What is your job title? • How many years experience do you have?
25. GREAT RESULTS ARE DRIVEN FROM GReAT QUESTIONs.
26. GREAT RESULTS ARE DRIVEN FROM GReAT QUESTIONs. ! CHoose WISELY.
27. And Don’t be afraid to simulate holes in the data.
28. And Don’t be afraid to simulate holes in the data. just because they didn’t respond doesn’t mean they aren’t part of the network.
29. Step 2 INTERPRET
30. Metrics provide an unbiased way to interpret relationships. You’ve got a few to choose from… degree INdegree OUTdegree ties pairs CLOSENESS farness reach betweenness eigenvector katz pagerank percolation cross-clique
31. Metrics provide an unbiased way to interpret relationships. You’ve got a few to choose from… but we’ll focus on these three for now. degree INdegree OUTdegree ties pairs CLOSENESS farness reach betweenness eigenvector katz pagerank percolation cross-clique
32. Understanding the Core Metrics degree + closeness + betweenness
33. Degree Identifies local connectors and hubs
34. Degree Identifies local connectors and hubs by counting the number of connections for a given element
35. Degree WARNING Not necessarily the most influential or best connected to the wider network
36. Closeness Identifies those with high visibility about what’s happening across the network
37. Closeness Identifies those with high visibility about what’s happening across the network by measuring the distance from one element to all other elements
38. These people can quickly spread information (good or bad) across the network Closeness WARNING
39. Identifies key bridges and those who control the flow of information Betweenness
40. Identifies key bridges and those who control the flow of information by counting the number of times an element lies on the shortest path between two other elements Betweenness
41. These people may be bottlenecks or single points of failure Betweenness WARNING
42. Metrics are people too
43. Metrics are people too Each one reveals its own personality
44. let’s Focus on the extremes
45. two types of overly CENTRAL people
46. bottlenecks Play central role to maintain information or power advantage OR people whose jobs have grown too big
47. UNSUNG HEROES Engage selflessly to help the group in ways that often go unnoticed
48. people at the Borders of the network
49. Share different types of expertise, broker information and connect across geographies bridges
50. OUTSIDERS Stuck on the periphery with no idea how to work their way inside intentionally peripheral OR
51. Metrics only get You Started Use them to identify potential influencers and then validate with common sense WARNING
52. Step 3 DO SOMETHING
53. This guy was obsessed with pretty pictures.
54. This guy was obsessed with pretty pictures. ! You’re better than that.
55. go beyond the pretty picture and get shit done. Use strong visualizations, compelling narrative, and convincing arguments to make your impact.
56. Use strong visualizations, compelling narrative, and convincing arguments to make your impact. Kumu helps you do all three shameless plug
57. a few caveats to Network Analysis • be data-informed, not data-driven • take results with a grain of salt • validate using common sense
58. let’s recap 1. SNA helps tackle complex social problems. 2. Use surveys, data, and local knowledge to build the network. 3. Calculate metrics to identify key players within the network. 4. Apply what you’ve learned to make a difference. 5. Don’t forget to use common sense!
59. If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. - African Proverb
60. join us at Kumu.io
61. Jeff Mohr is the cofounder & CEO of Kumu, a web-based platform that gives influencers the tools to track, visualize and leverage relationships to overcome their toughest obstacles. ! Learn more at kumu.io or say hi @kumupowered Thanks!