Why do some enterprise social media and online groups succeed when so many others fail? How do different patterns of enterprise collaboration and populations of users differ from one another? How do contribution vary? How do these differences illustrate the roles people play within their knowledge networks? How can I visualize and optimize my networks to assure success with social media and enterprise knowledge management? How do social media propel effective knowledge management?
Unfortunately, all these questions fall victim of The Streetlight Effect: picking these easiest place to look for something. Mostly people think the problem lies in technology, process or management. Fortunately, these actual answer to these questions is easy, obvious, well-established and pervasive: social network analysis (SNA).
Success of social media, communities and collaboration is defined by actors and dynamic network structure. The success of social media, thus knowledge management, is determined by the effectiveness of underlying social networks.
Success is not determined by technology, applications or optimistic managers. Social networks are the complex, omnipresent foundation of all social media, communities, collaboration and knowledge management. Comprehension, the network mindset, is critical.
Social network analysis visualizes, interprets and optimizes the complex network patterns and flows of knowledge, social media, online communities and enterprise collaboration. Capability and mastery of social network analysis fundamentally advances the success of applied social media and achieves the most favorable outcomes.
Network patterns of contribution and connection determines knowledge management success. Visualizing these network patterns aids implementation, adoption, security and effectiveness of social knowledge creation. It is critical to ‘stop looking where the light is.’
Rather, develop a range of capabilities to analyze and visualize social networks. Explore network patterns to illustrate the scope of variation among applications and between types of network actors and knowledge contributors. These patterns reveal steps to achieve continuous advancements with knowledge creation, social media, communities of practice and enterprise collaboration.
Like the spreadsheet in the 1980s, the process diagram of the 1990s, the Six Sigma templates of the 2000s, social graphs and network analyses are the critical tools of 21st Century organizations, economies, the environment and civil society. Mastery of social media network analysis is critical to comprehension, performance and prosperity in all the new business settings and economies.
Remember, excellence in social media, communities, collaboration and knowledge management is about connection not collection.
Continuous skill development and relationships are critical to your success. They are even more important under tough economic and rapidly changing conditions. Action Research clusters equip you with tools, methods and key relationships to achieve far greater competitiveness under all economic conditions. Besides, it is important to put the social back in knowledge management!
