The Knowledge is in the Network

1. The Knowledge is in the Network Using Network Analysis to Understand and Improve Knowledge Management Patti Anklam June Holley Valdis Krebs

2. Our Three-Part Conversation • Overview of Network Analysis for Knowledge Management – Patti Anklam, Hutchinson Associates • Using Network Analysis to Manage Networks of Partnerships – Valdis Krebs, Orgnet • Sustaining a Development Network – June Holley, Executive Director, ACEnet

3. So what is Social Network Analysis (SNA)? • Social Network Analysis is a mathematical and visual analysis of relationships / flows / influence between people, groups, organizations, computers or other information/knowledge processing entities – Valdis Krebs • A targeted approach to improving collaboration and network connectivity where they yield greatest payoff for an organization – Rob Cross & Andrew Parker When applied to organizations, often (and increasingly) called Organizational Network Analysis (ONA)

4. Networks Matter • The complexity of work in today’s world is such that no one can understand – let alone complete – atask alone • Individual-individual • Team-team • Company-company • Strong networks are correlated with health: • People with stronger personal networks are healthier, happier, and better performers • Companies who know how to manage alliances are more flexible, adaptive and resilient

5. Network maps provide insight and prompt questions • Knowledge flows along existing pathways in organizations. • To understand theknowledge flow, find out what the patterns are. • Create interventions to create, reinforce, or change the patterns to improve the knowledge flow. I frequently or very frequently receive information from this person that I need to do my job.

6. Know-about Information Communication Trust Problem-solving Decision-making Sense-making Distance (degrees of separation) Density (overall connectivity) Positional importance of individuals ONA Basics What’s the Question? What’s Important to Know?

7. Basic Steps in an ONA • Identify the business problem and the scope of the network • Collect data about the relevant relationships • Use computer analysis tools • Validate the findings through interviews and workshops • Design and implement interventions to change the network • Follow up

8. Starting points for network analysis • Improving collaboration within and across given groups • Understanding individual contributions to a group • Recognizing the work of central people • Speeding the inclusion of peripheral people • Staffing teams and temporary projects • Considering succession • Preparing for and facilitating organizational change

9. Data Collection Methods • Qualitative • Surveys • Ethnographic research or interviews • Quantitative • Transaction analysis (emails, phone calls, web usage logs) • Analysis of information artifacts (email, documents, search strings) to identify similarity of interests

10. Qualitative Survey Example

11. Use Software to Analyze

12. Assess the Context • What is impact of geographical distribution? • How connected are people within each country? • Are the people in the middle connectors or bottlenecks? Source: http://www.robcross.org/sna10.htm

13. Identify Key Patterns • Overly central people • Outliers • Disconnected networks • Internally focused

14. Analyze and Interpret I frequently or very frequently receive information from this person that I need to do my job.

15. Metrics Derived from the Same Data • Average distance (degrees of separation) • Individual position in the network structure • How central certain individuals are • Which individuals are “between” most others • Who has the shortest average path to everyone else in the network? • Who has the most power? • Ratio of connections between internal (to group) and external (to other groups)

16. MetricsDensity • The percentage of ties that exist out of the total possible that could exist

17. Identify Actions to Take • Organizational • Leadership work • Restructuring and process redesign • Staffing and role development • Developing Networks • Tools and technologies (expertise locators, discussion forums, and so on) • Collaborative knowledge exchange and getting acquainted sessions • Individual action • Personal and public • Personal and private

18. ONA has been used to address a variety of knowledge-related business problems • Team building • Assessing communications and connectivity across groups • Connecting overlooked knowledge assets • Finding key connectors in organizations • Generating leadership networks • Performance benchmarking • Facilitating mergers and acquisitions • Diagnosing patterns in communities of practice • Competency assessment • Addressing the “lost knowledge problem”

19. The Bottom Line • ONA doesn’t give answers, but it leads you to ask important questions • ONA methodology uses a complexity model: • Detect patterns; dive deeper to understand • Make interventions; see what new emerges • You cannot predict the outcome; but you can reinforce positive patterns and alter the negative ones • ONA is a diagnostic tool • Positioned within a KM practice it can focus KM project resources where they will make the most difference • ONA is also an intervention – use it wisely