Networks 101
A crash course

October 17, 2011



       Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
What’s a social network?




     A collection of people
   connected by relationships


        Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
We care about social networks that
       scale social impact.




           Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
They come in many different forms




           Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
So what makes
networks work?


   Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
The “secret sauce”
according to the crowd




     Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
How can networks help scale impact?
                                      Traditional                                             Network
     Challenge
                                      Approach                                                Approach
        Build                            Administer                                              Weave
    community assets                   social services                                          social ties

  Develop better designs            Gather input from                                      Access new & diverse
    & inform decisions              people you know                                            perspectives

        Spread                           Disseminate                                        Openly share/build
       what works                        white papers                                          knowledge

         Mobilize          Organize tightly coordinated                                    Catalyze widespread
          action                   campaigns                                               action and ownership

        Overcome           Bring players and programs                                       Coordinate diverse
      fragmentation          under a single umbrella                                       resources and action


                           Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
It requires a
networks mindset


    Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
Traditional Mindset                                                               Network Mindset

   Firmly controlled & planned                                       Loosely controlled & emergent

          Strengthening                                            Weaving connections & building
        individual efforts                                             network-wide capacity

     Procuring deliverables                                                      Stimulating activity
        (e.g., programs)                                                          (e.g., platforms)

 Effectiveness linked to concrete                                Effectiveness linked to intangibles
             outputs                                             (trusting relationships, info flows)

Proprietary information & learning                               Public/open information & learning

Decision making concentrated in                                                    Decision-making
       one organization                                                             decentralized

      Ownership by single,                                            Ownership and expertise
        “expert” actor                                           distributed across multiple actors




                        Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
Shifting our worldview
     from…                                                                             to…




 The Flying Machine.
1902Encyclopedia.com


                       Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
It’s easier said than done




       Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
There are challenges

• It’s hard to “see” the whole system.
  How to know what’s needed/what’s working?
• It’s time-consuming work.
  What role(s) should funders play?
• There are lots of players involved.
  Where does accountability lie?
• It requires spreading control & leadership.
  What if results are different than original
  intentions?

                Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
Yet, there IS an emerging practice

                                                                                         KNIT
                                      KNOW
                                                                                    THE NETWORK
                                  THE NETWORK
                                                                                   Connect & engage stakeholders
                            Map the issue, stakeholders,
                                                                                   Nurture network stewards / leaders
                             existing connections
                                                                                   Define & create different entry points to
                                                                                    the network, reflecting a range of
                                                                                             interests
     TRANSITION THE                                                                                                     ORGANIZE THE
       NETWORK                                                                                                           NETWORK
  Evaluate network effectiveness                                                                                Begin to work together; pilot
   & impact                                                                                                       strategies
  If transforming: define/redefine
                                                                                                                 If needed, establish shared
   network value propositions                                                                                     structures & procedures (e.g.,
      If transitioning: distribute re-                                                                           norms of engagement)
       usable assets (including                                                                                  Develop systems for
                                                       GROW THE NETWORK                                           ongoing learning &
             knowledge)
                                              Grow & diversity network participation                                   adaptation
                                              Build enduring trust & connectivity
                                              Decentralize network functions
                                              Spread, deepen, diversify network strategies




                                Adapted from the work of iScale and June Holley & Valdis Krebs
                                              Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
What questions do you want to
address over the next 2 days?




         Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
““Networks are everywhere.
We just need an eye for seeing them.”
                                                                          – ALBERT-LÁSZLÓ BARABÁSI
          Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
Networks 101
A crash course
THANK YOU!
Kathy Reich (kreich@packard.org)
Diana Scearce (Diana_Scearce@monitor.com)




          Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license

10 17-11 networks 101 geo conference

  • 1.
    Networks 101 A crashcourse October 17, 2011 Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 2.
    What’s a socialnetwork? A collection of people connected by relationships Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 3.
    We care aboutsocial networks that scale social impact. Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 4.
    They come inmany different forms Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 5.
    So what makes networkswork? Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 6.
    The “secret sauce” accordingto the crowd Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 7.
    How can networkshelp scale impact? Traditional Network Challenge Approach Approach Build Administer Weave community assets social services social ties Develop better designs Gather input from Access new & diverse & inform decisions people you know perspectives Spread Disseminate Openly share/build what works white papers knowledge Mobilize Organize tightly coordinated Catalyze widespread action campaigns action and ownership Overcome Bring players and programs Coordinate diverse fragmentation under a single umbrella resources and action Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 8.
    It requires a networksmindset Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 9.
    Traditional Mindset Network Mindset Firmly controlled & planned Loosely controlled & emergent Strengthening Weaving connections & building individual efforts network-wide capacity Procuring deliverables Stimulating activity (e.g., programs) (e.g., platforms) Effectiveness linked to concrete Effectiveness linked to intangibles outputs (trusting relationships, info flows) Proprietary information & learning Public/open information & learning Decision making concentrated in Decision-making one organization decentralized Ownership by single, Ownership and expertise “expert” actor distributed across multiple actors Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 10.
    Shifting our worldview from… to… The Flying Machine. 1902Encyclopedia.com Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 11.
    It’s easier saidthan done Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 12.
    There are challenges •It’s hard to “see” the whole system. How to know what’s needed/what’s working? • It’s time-consuming work. What role(s) should funders play? • There are lots of players involved. Where does accountability lie? • It requires spreading control & leadership. What if results are different than original intentions? Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 13.
    Yet, there ISan emerging practice KNIT KNOW THE NETWORK THE NETWORK  Connect & engage stakeholders  Map the issue, stakeholders,  Nurture network stewards / leaders existing connections  Define & create different entry points to the network, reflecting a range of interests TRANSITION THE ORGANIZE THE NETWORK NETWORK  Evaluate network effectiveness  Begin to work together; pilot & impact strategies  If transforming: define/redefine  If needed, establish shared network value propositions structures & procedures (e.g.,  If transitioning: distribute re- norms of engagement) usable assets (including  Develop systems for GROW THE NETWORK ongoing learning & knowledge)  Grow & diversity network participation adaptation  Build enduring trust & connectivity  Decentralize network functions  Spread, deepen, diversify network strategies Adapted from the work of iScale and June Holley & Valdis Krebs Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 14.
    What questions doyou want to address over the next 2 days? Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 15.
    ““Networks are everywhere. Wejust need an eye for seeing them.” – ALBERT-LÁSZLÓ BARABÁSI Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
  • 16.
    Networks 101 A crashcourse THANK YOU! Kathy Reich (kreich@packard.org) Diana Scearce (Diana_Scearce@monitor.com) Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license

Editor's Notes

  • #7 KathyAs you can see – networks come in all shapes and sizesAND, there are some clear commonalities among social change networksHere’s an aggregate response from 70 people who answered the question “what’s the secret sauce of social networks for social change” (thanks to Beth Kanter who initiated this line of questioning at a Network of Network Funders gathering last spring and then Deborah Meehan of the LLC who began a snow ball of responses by posing the question to her networks)There’s a lot about the connections - the secret sauce is in the relationships … integrity.. trust… commitmentInteresting to note that OPENNESS (inviting others into your work) and TRANSPARENCY (sharing what you’re doing) are right at the center – and these can be tough things for funders to do when you’re trying to manage expectations and maintain control.What would you add or underscore? What three ingredients do you think are the secret sauce for networks?
  • #8 KathyWe’ve talked about what social change networks are and what they typically look like. But, what can they help you achieve?Here are 5 reasons and ways we’ve noticed that funders are tapping into networks for positive social benefits:Most efforts to activate networks are resulting in multiple of these benefits. And, in the end, all of these are about pathways to acting bigger and scaling impact…. So you want to overcome fragmentation – as in the case of Barr Foundation’s afterschool sports program. A traditional approach would be to bring players and programs under a single umbrellaand a network approach would be to coordinate diverse resources and action.The point here is not to get rid of the traditional approach – but rather to challenge ourselves to expand our social change toolkit and experiment with integrating network approaches.Of course, networks and network approaches aren’t new. But, the opportunities to scale impact through network centric strategies are expanding significantly with the advent of new social media tools and advances in knowledge about complex systems.So, for example, you want to spread knowledge of what works…. A well established way to do this would be to write and disseminate a white paper. That’s still a handy thing to do… and, like the OE team at Packard has done, we can also use platforms like wikis and Twitter to openly share and spread what we’re learning.How are you – or might you – use networks and network approaches to scale impact in your work? Are you facing any of these challenges? Are there opportunities for you to add network approaches to your repertoire of strategies for social change?
  • #9 Diana
  • #16 “Networks are everywhere, you just need an eye for seeing them”