SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS Social Network Analysis (SNA) covers a range of different tools and methods, designed to help map and analyse social networks. Its main purpose is to identify and analyse the relationships within and between different actors within social networks. SNA can be applied to any size of network from very small, localised networks through to large, international ones. Social Network Analysis (SNA) covers a range of different of different kinds. Sometimes the partnerships are simple, tools and methods, designed to help map and analyse but at times they can be very complex indeed, covering social networks. Its main purpose is to identify and analyse many actors and different relationships (Sette 2013). SNA the relationships within and between different components can lead to better understanding of these partnerships, of a social network. SNA is often associated with complex with a view to improving them and helping them better diagrams and maps of networks, such as the one displayed serve their purposes. at the bottom of this page (see Brayton 2013). However, it also covers other methods such as matrices and metrics. SNA can be used during situational analyses or project / programme design for diagnostic purposes. In other words A social network can be defined as “a number of actors it can be used to help try and understand a network better. connected by some kind of relationship” (Davies 2009, p3). Based on this better understanding a plan may be put in The actors may be individuals, groups or organisations. The place to support the network. This plan can then be relationships between actors may be formal or informal. monitored and evaluated using standard monitoring and They might be based on friendship or business. They might evaluation (M&E) methods. Alternatively, a Social Network involve communications flows, business transactions, social Analysis exercise can be repeated after a period of time to media interactions, or any other kind of relationship. see what has changed. These changes can then be further Networks can take many forms, including coalitions, examined to see what contributed to them, and how they partnerships, communities of practice, associations, and have affected the performance of the network. unions (Hearn 2012). SNA can be applied to networks at any level from very SNA has been in use for a long time. However, recent small, local networks through to large, international ones. advances in Information Communications Technology (ICT) Within social development, CSOs have commonly used SNA have made it much easier to capture and graphically display in areas of work such as policy influencing and mobilisation, large amounts of information. This helps to explain why where large amounts of work are carried out through SNA has become much more popular over recent years. partnerships and coalitions. SNA has also been used extensively to map and analyse knowledge networks and Another factor is the large amount of development work communities of practice. that is now being done through partnerships and coalitions © INTRAC 2017 How it works Other potential methods for data collection include observation, semi-structured interviews and focus group There is no fixed methodology for Social Network Analysis. discussion. In some cases it is possible to use secondary However, most approaches contain all or most of the steps data. For example, records of mobile phones could be used described below. to develop a network map around social networking, or computer records of resource downloads could be used to develop a map around data access. STEP 1: Identify the target network and purpose of the The next step is to collect, record and exercise store the data. Nowadays it is normal STEP for SNA to be conducted through THREE specialist software, in which case the STEP 2: Design the data needs to be stored in a format that methodology for collection is suitable for the software. Sometimes and analysis this means storing data in a common software package such as Microsoft Excel or Access. In other cases data might need to be input directly into the specialist SNA software package. STEP 3: Collect, store and process the data After it has been collected and stored, the next step is to present the data. STEP Nowadays, presenting data in picture or FOUR diagram form is normally the easiest STEP 4: Present the data in part of SNA. Once the information has different ways been collected and stored then computer software can be used to generate a map (or different maps) of the network. There are also other ways STEP 5: Analyse the data and in which data can be presented, including matrices, graphs, recommend appropriate tables and plots. These are described in the following action section. The final step is to analyse the data and recommend appropriate action. It is The first step is to identify the network STEP important to note that SNA software FIVE that is of interest. In some cases it may can help present and display data with STEP be obvious what the network is, ONE a view to supporting analysis, but the particularly if there are formal rules analysis itself needs to come from governing the relationships between human beings. In some circumstances (such as in an different actors. In other cases some evaluation or situational analysis study) the analysis can be work may need to be done to define the network, or to done by an individual or a team. At other times, analysis draw boundaries between where one network ends and can be conducted as a participatory exercise, involving another one starts. members of the network. The purpose of the exercise should be made clear at this Actions taken based on the analysis will vary according to stage. If the intention is to repeat the SNA exercise at some the purpose of the exercise. In some circumstances the stage in the future then that should be clear from the start. data and analysis can be used to form a baseline against During this initial step it is often useful to produce a set of which future change can be assessed. In other questions that the SNA exercise will be designed to answer. circumstances an action plan can be developed to help support or improve a network in areas where analysis The next step is to design the suggests change might be useful. This action plan could methodology for data collection and then be monitored to see if desired changes are taking STEP analysis. Data for SNA is often TWO place. If SNA is used within an evaluation or impact generated through questionnaires or assessment then the analysis can contribute to the findings surveys, administered to different of the evaluation (or impact assessment) along with any network actors. The type of questions recommendations. contained within the questionnaires or surveys have a significant impact on the information generated. It is therefore considered particularly important to spend a lot of time ensuring that the questions are the right ones (see Different methods for data Hovland 2007). This heavily depends on the type of presentation and analysis network. A formal alliance based around policy influencing As stated above, SNA data can be presented in different goals is likely to require very different questions than an ways and in different formats, including network diagrams informal, knowledge sharing network. or pictures, matrices, graphs, etc. Some of these are described briefly below. © INTRAC 2017 Diagrams: Network diagrams are not new and have been mathematical analysis of networks. For example, data can around for many years. Participatory mapping has always allow assessments of how dense a network is, or the formed an important part of Participatory Learning and degree to which it is centralised. Some examples of the Action (PLA), and Venn diagrams have often been used to types of metrics (or indicators) that can be generated help communities analyse the relationships between through SNA are contained in the box below, adapted from themselves and other social actors. Indeed, some network a recent study by Dersham and Bokuchava (2016). mapping is still done by hand without the aid of computer software. But improvements in ICT over the past two decades have enabled much larger networks to be mapped, Sample metrics (indicators) used in SNA and far more complex diagrams to be developed with relatively little effort. • Number of network members • Diversity of network members (e.g. different types of Network diagrams developed through software are usually actors in the network) made up of a series of nodes. These represent the actors in • Connectedness (e.g. percentage of network members the network, such as individuals, groups or organisations. connected or linked to each other) • Reach (the number of steps or path lengths between The nodes are then connected by lines. The lines represent different organisations in the network) the relationships, information flows or connections • Reciprocity (the proportion of interactions that are between the different actors (see diagram on the first mutual, e.g. where information flows in both page). Different aspects of the relationships can be directions) displayed by comparing the length of the lines (e.g. the • Number of clusters (e.g. clusters where members have closer the line the closer the relationship). Alternatively, much interaction with each other but little connection lines may be different in terms of width, colour and shape with other network members) to show different kinds of relationships. • Degree of centralisation (the degree to which relationships are dominated by one organisation or a There are many different software packages that can be group of organisations) used to help develop network diagrams. Some of the most • Sustainability (which can be calculated by looking at often cited free packages are UCINET/NetDraw, Gephi and the potential for a network to fragment if one or more NodeXL (see references at the end of this paper).