How do you measure the impact and value of SNA for your organization?

1 Define your goals and indicators

Before you start collecting and analyzing data, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with SNA and how you will measure it. What are the specific objectives and questions of your SNA project? What are the key indicators and metrics that will show whether you are meeting your goals or not? How will you collect, store, and manage the data? How will you report and communicate the results? Having a well-defined evaluation plan will help you align your SNA activities with your organizational needs and expectations.

2 Choose appropriate methods and tools

Depending on your goals and indicators, you may need to use different methods and tools to measure the impact and value of SNA. For example, you may use surveys, interviews, focus groups, or observation to collect qualitative data on the perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of your network members. You may use network maps, graphs, or matrices to visualize and quantify the structure, size, density, centrality, cohesion, or diversity of your network. You may use statistical tests, models, or simulations to compare, predict, or explain the effects of your network on your outcomes. You may use software, platforms, or frameworks to support your data collection, analysis, and visualization. You should choose the methods and tools that best suit your data, questions, and resources.

3 Compare and contrast different scenarios

One way to measure the impact and value of SNA is to compare and contrast different scenarios or cases that involve your network. For example, you may compare your network before and after a certain intervention, such as a training, a policy change, or a new technology. You may compare your network with other similar or different networks, such as competitors, partners, or customers. You may compare your network with a hypothetical or ideal network, such as a benchmark, a goal, or a best practice. By comparing and contrasting different scenarios, you can identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your network and assess its performance, efficiency, and effectiveness.

4 Link your network to your outcomes

Another way to measure the impact and value of SNA is to link your network to your outcomes or results. For example, you may link your network structure or dynamics to your organizational performance, such as productivity, quality, innovation, or profitability. You may link your network characteristics or attributes to your individual or group outcomes, such as learning, satisfaction, engagement, or retention. You may link your network interventions or changes to your social or environmental impacts, such as collaboration, trust, influence, or sustainability. By linking your network to your outcomes, you can demonstrate the causal or correlational relationships between your network and your results and justify the value of your SNA project.

5 Incorporate feedback and learning

Finally, you should incorporate feedback and learning into your evaluation strategy for SNA. You should collect and analyze data regularly and systematically throughout your SNA project, not just at the end. You should share and discuss your findings and recommendations with your stakeholders, such as network members, managers, or clients. You should solicit and incorporate their feedback and suggestions into your SNA project design, implementation, and improvement. You should also document and disseminate your lessons learned and best practices from your SNA project to your organization and your community. By incorporating feedback and learning, you can enhance the quality, relevance, and usefulness of your SNA project and its impact and value for your organization.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?