The field of Social Network Analysis (SNA) has been developing rapidly in recent years. The emergence of social networking sites on the Web has both fuelled and been fuelled by this: the Web is such a linky place. KM practitioners have also spotted the value of investigating and mapping social networks in organisations and there are some mature technologies for turning the data into graphics.
Why do we do this? Simply investigating a social system can itself be a powerful intervention, both in intended and unintended ways. If the resulting data is visible to the participants, they themselves will experience impulses to interact with each other in new ways. These could be responses to wishes or fears. It is also possible to make further interventions to develop social networks in particular ways, based on the results of analysis.
Of course SNA is not a new field. Physical and social scientists and mathematicians have been studying it for decades. The recent convergence between these fields has contributed to its rapid development.
But I am not trying to rewrite the Wikipedia entry on Social Networks. If I did, however, I’d probably mention JL Moreno, the founder of Psychodrama and Sociometry.
Sociometry is an approach to working with social systems to reveal and develop the informal relationships. It is often conducted in the here and now (f2f) using, among other things, action sociograms. The action continuum, often used in group sessions, is the classic example of this.
The art in Sociometry is to work with the particular culture and social processes that are prominent in the group at each moment. The Sociometrist is constantly applying their analysis in using the techniques and at the same time is conscious of their own social position and functioning in the group and is relating with the group and its members in a human and present way.
I am an associate member of the Australian and NZ Psychodrama Association. One of the executive of ANZPA is Diana Jones, a Sociometrist and organisational development practitioner. Diana has just launched a new website at http://www.sociometry.co.nz that provides excellent explanations and illustrations of Sociometric concepts and practice.