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What is Network Mapping?
What is it?
Network mapping and analysis is a process for visualizing and interpreting connections within a group so that the group itself, and therefore its work and effectiveness, may be strengthened.
Network analysis can also help a group explore options for adapting to a changing environment. Connections, strengths, and weaknesses are made visible, helping answer many key questions in the community-building process: Are the right connections in place? Are any key connections missing?
 Who are the people playing leadership roles in the community? Who are not, but could be?
Who are the experts in process, planning and practice?
Who are the mentors others seek out for advice?
Who are the innovators? Are ideas shared and acted upon?
(Source:Valdis Krebs and June Holley, Building Smart Communities through Network Weaving, 2002)
Network mapping does not create an inventory of community assets; it assumes this has already been done. Other processes -- community mapping, asset mapping, stakeholder analysis -- are effective tools at that stage.
The network mapping and analysis process begins with a discussion about what the network needs or wants to know about itself. What information about each network member is important? What types of connections does the network wish to examine?
Based on answers to these questions, a survey of network members is conducted. Network analysis software is used to produce maps and numeric tables. The mapper, along with the network, analyzes the maps and tables and develops a strategy to strengthen the network and its work. Typically, after this strategy has been in action for some time, network members are surveyed again and the network is re-mapped based on their feedback, which may lead to another network-improving strategy. This process can be repeated any number of times. Over time, network analysis can help a group to demonstrate its growth, development and functional effectiveness.
How is it connected to health promotion?
"Understanding the pre-existing social relationships in a setting is vital in health promotion, not only for encouraging important people to get ‘on side’ with an intervention but also for appreciating how the intervention itself might change social structures."
(Source: Use of social network analysis to map the social relationships of staff and teachers at school. Penelope Hawe and Laura Ghali, Health Education Research 2008 23(1):62-69; doi:10.1093/her/cyl162)
What are some examples/stories?
The left-hand image below depicts a network before a months-long network improvement strategy (Health Nexus' Connecting the Dots model). The right-hand image shows the same network five years after participating in the Connecting the Dots process. Note the significantly increased density of connections.
Online resources
June Holley's Network Weaving website
Building Smart Communities Through Network Weaving
June Holley's blog
Introduction to Network Weaving
Valdis Krebs' website
Case studies
Valdis Krebs' blog
Social Network Analysis, a Brief Introduction
Books
Social Network Analysis by John P. Scott
Models and Methods in Social Network Analysis, edited by Peter J. Carrington, John Scott, and Stanley Wasserman
Social Network Analysis: Methods and Applications, by Stanley Wasserman and Katherine Faust
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