Social Network Analysys

Sandbox has developed Social Network Analysis as an application within our RED software. Social Network Analysis is a tool that allows a group of people to visualise their network as a group, live. This is an application that takes a number of minutes and is completed via an iPad application. Visit here to find out more.

Within a workshop, every participant will be given an iPad. On that iPad there will be a pre-loaded (by Sandbox) profile-list of everyone else within the group. The application will ask you a question, such as:
‘How many times a week do you work with ….?’ Do you work with them five times a week, twice a week, once a week or not at all?

You will then be asked to go down the profile-list of names and tick the answer that most suitably represents how many times a week you work with them. Everyone else within the workshop will also complete the task. Upon completion, all of this information will be analysed by our software RED, which will then draw a network map (as exampled below).

The circles represent a person within the group and the lines represent their connections. The larger the circle, the better connected that person is. The connections are both inbound and outbound. The data can be viewed by department, faculty, sex, sector etc.

Where we see the best results with this tool is primarily when we are working with a group who either are looking to improve their networking or cross department/faculty collaboration. To repeat the task six months later, also gives an impression on how the group have improved their connections.

We often find it useful to compare the network map with a client’s Organisational Chart. Whereas you may expect the flow of information to be from the top-down, quite often the network map shows something very different.

It is a valuable tool if a client is looking to make changes within their organisation. The network map indicates who the key members of staff are going to be in disseminating these changes and/or information.

It is also worth noting that you don’t have to ask the question ‘How many times a week do you work with…?’ You can ask the group anything. So the question could be, ‘Who inspires you?’, or ‘Who do you turn to for support?’