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Welcome to my lens on social network analysis and sensemaking. This lens aims to bring together and create some meaning around social networks analysis and sensemaking. I'd like to thank the guys at Anecdote for continuing to host some of the links of this work.
When it comes to relationships, at some level or another we all know the importance and power of our social networks. How many times have you heard "Its not what you know, it's who".
As described in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_networking A social network is a social structure made of nodes which are generally individuals or organizations.
Social Network Analysis is an approach which almost certainly grew out of the Jacob Moreno's work in the 1930's. So far, Social Network Analysis has spent a large amount of its time in the rigorous mathematical pursuit of analysis. A new area is opening up in the creation and facilitation of meaning and sensemaking around the social networks that we belong to. This is provides my lens into social networks, analysis and sensemaking.
Getting up to speed
- What is SNA Sensemaking?
- Social Network Sensemaking is all about the meaning we make of and from social networks and also encouraging and facilitating our own sensemaking around social networks.
- An SNA Sensemaking Activity
- We've learnt that for SNA to be effective in group situations there is real value in preparing people for what they may see within typical social network maps. The "hubs and bridges expectations warm-up" is one of our sensemaking processes useful for such preparation. This warm up activity aims to prepare groups for sensemaking in a productive and non-confrontational way.
- Bridges and Hubs in Social Networks
- When it comes to Social Network Analysis (SNA) a common practice is to use centrality measures such as Betweenness (Bridgeness), Closeness and Degree. This link explores some of the hidden assumptions and potential problems in the naive use of these 2 centrality measures.
- 3 big problems for social network analysis
- We suggest that Social Network Analysis needs to move beyond mere analysis and overcome 3 big problems: engendering trust, dispelling the
illusion of accuracy, and taming the expert mindset. A sensemaking approach might just
be the answer. - Connecting People: How to Foster and Harness Your Organisation's Connectors
- While passers-by see the granite and glass of high-rise buildings, well-connected people think of the organisations within as collections of interesting people they want to meet. Mention a business and these 'connectors' will spill out the names of key informants and decision-makers. Connectors know lots of people......
- A quick primer on Social Network Analysis
- This is a very quick primer on Social Network Analysis. Written to help get you on the track.
- Online forum around Organisational Network Analysis
- ONA-prac is an online forum an early stage Community of Practice on Organizational Network Analysis (ONA). ONA is the application of Social Network Analysis (SNA) concepts, methods, and tools in support of improving the effectiveness of organizations, both internally and with customers and partners.
This forum is intended for practitioners of ONA as well as anyone in an organization who has an interest in or need to understand how to improve organizational performance. - Software for Social Network Analysis
- This link provides a fairly comprehensive link for what's available in the space of software to support your social network analysis work.
Towards a sensemaking and meaning making approach
Participatory network analysis, or sensemaking approaches to social network analysis provides a change in direction to how social network analysis has been traditionally performed.As I have discussed in 3 big problems for social network analysis it has been the 'Expert mindset' which has provided the focus for standard practice of how implementation and action is achieved.
Interestingly, Chris Argyris may have been the first to explore the use of sensemaking and group meaning making approaches to social network mapping to achieve organisational change back in the 1980s.
Since then there has been very little written and put forth on approaches which foster and facilitate meaning and sensemaking perspectives around the social network mapping.
Borgatti's paper on ethics (http://www.analytictech.com/borgatti/papers/ethics2005.pdf) alludes to some of the problems around taking a group sensemaking approach with social network analysis.
Our current work is in developing approaches and techniques which foster this sensemaking perspective.
Whats the talk on SNA?
Bloggers current thoughts, reflections on social network analysis
Fetching RSS feed... please stand bySome books which have influenced my thinking
The Hidden Power of Social Networks: Understanding How Work Really Gets Done in Organizations
Amazon Price: $21.75 (as of 12/12/2009) 
The Development of Social Network Analysis: A Study in the Sociology of Science
Amazon Price: $15.99 (as of 12/12/2009)
Models and Methods in Social Network Analysis (Structural Analysis in the Social Sciences)
Amazon Price: $28.52 (as of 12/12/2009)
How the Way We Talk Can Change the Way We Work: Seven Languages for Transformation
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 12/12/2009)
The Social Psychology of Organizing (Topics in Social Psychology Series)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/12/2009)
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