social network analysis (sna): understanding organizations & getting results eric lesser, ibm...
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Social Network Analysis (SNA): Understanding Organizations
& Getting Results
Eric Lesser, IBMPatti Anklam, Hutchinson Associates
Relationships are the main activity of business and work. – Theodore Zeldin, Work futurist
KMWorld 2003, Session B202
©2003 Patti Anklam 2
Contents
About Social Network Analysis Management Team Case (Patti) Communities Case (Eric) Challenges in Delivering SNA projects
(Eric) Trends in social networking software
(Patti)
©2003 Patti Anklam 3
Social Network Analysis
I frequently or very frequently receive information from this person that I need to do my job.
Knowledge flows along existing pathways in organizations. To understand the knowledge flow, find out what the patterns are. Create interventions to create, reinforce, or change the patterns to improve the knowledge flow.
©2003 Patti Anklam 4
SNA Basics
Know-about Information Communication Trust Problem-solving Decision-making Sense-making
Distance (degrees of separation)
Betweenness Density Centrality Brokers,
gatekeepers, outsiders
Survey Dimensions Data Points
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Case: Executive Team
Conducted first project with Rob Cross and Andrew Parker 85-person global group within 3,000-
person organization
Strong support from VP of HR “Solo” SNA of the
global HR team Built credibility
for the method
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Executive Team in Professional Services
= Large Accounts= Small Accounts
= Product Line A
Function
= Product Line B= Product Line C= Operations
I frequently or very frequently receive information from this person that I need to do my job.
©2003 Patti Anklam 7
Density Analysis
SmA Ops PL A PL B PL C LgA10 5 8 8 9 10
Small Accounts 72% 2% 11% 0% 2% 5%Operations 4% 85% 10% 5% 7% 12%Product Line A 8% 3% 77% 0% 1% 4%Product Line B 0% 13% 2% 73% 0% 17%Product Line C 2% 16% 1% 3% 54% 17%Large Accounts 2% 18% 5% 16% 12% 73%
Density. Data provides the percentage of information-getting relationships that exist out of the possible number that could exist. It is not a goal to have 100%, but to target the junctures where improved collaboration could have a business benefit.
Frequently or very frequently receive
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Results
Organizational Liaison role between large accounts and product line B Product Line B’s subsequent reorganization reflected
greater collaboration and work reassignment Knowledge networking
Individual group meetings included presentation of strategies from other groups
Product Line C planned first face-to-face Personal commitments
Manager of large accounts initiated organizational development work to remove himself as a bottleneck in communications
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SNA as Network Discovery
SNA doesn’t give answers, but it leads you to ask important questions
SNA methodology uses a complexity model: Detect patterns; make interventions; see what new
emerges You cannot predict the outcome; but you can reinforce
positive patterns and alter the negative ones SNA is a diagnostic tool
Positioned within a KM practice it can focus KM project resources where they will make the most difference
SNA is also an intervention
Trends in Social Software
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Social Networking Software – Categories
1) Software that enables and supports individuals in creating and maintaining their own networks: Newsgroups, bulletin boards, Yahoo! groups Weblogs, wikis
2) Software that supports affiliation-based communities: Ryze, Tribe.net
3) Business networking software (FOAF) that extends contact management to contact-seeking applications Internet-centric: Friendster, LinkedIn Enterprise-focused: Spoke, VisiblePath, ZeroDegrees
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Software that Detects and Maps Social Networks
eMail Can include frequency as well as linkages
Knowledge repository mining Verity, Lotus Discovery Server
Expertise location Tacit, Kamoon, AskMe
Connections in social software Explicit: Friendster, LinkedIn, Spoke, etc. Implicit: “Blogrolls,” web links
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Question for “Birds of a Feather”
Questions?
Additional Resourceshttp://www.byeday.net/http://www1.ibm.com/services/kcm/kcm_ikm.html
Contact:Eric Lesser, [email protected] Anklam, [email protected]