Accenture's ONA tool?
MattBMoore
I was a bit surprised when I saw he'd been involved with this demo from
Accenture:
http://connectedness.blogspot.com/2006/08/visualizing-organizational-change.html
Take a peek. On the one hand, it looks great. On the other, I'm
scratching my head as to how this could possibly work in the real world.
Valdis Krebs
It's a proof of concept -- made to start conversations -- why are you
surprised? I thought it was a good stab at something different.
Valdis
Seth Earley
contrived, but gets the point across.
The scenario puts ONA into a context that business leaders can understand:
supporting conditions that would lead to successful integration of an
acquisition.
I think a savvy executive might have a hard time believing that software
could help senior level people figure out whom to connect with, but it still
illustrates how ONA can visualize informal networks and lead to better
communications. From that perspective the presentation seems to make the
point.
Seth
Seth Earley
Earley & Associates, Inc
781-444-0287
781-820-8080 cell
Blog: "Not Otherwise Categorized"
RSS: https://sethearley.wordpress.com/feed
Matthew Moore
There is a growing interest in "Real-time" (as opposed to historical) analytics & dashboards. And I find some of the possibilities fascinating.
Is the "real-time" model feasible for all forms of Network Analysis?
How would you do something like this in your work? Let's have a conversation about this.
-----Original Message-----
From: Value-N...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:Value-N...@googlegroups.com]On Behalf Of Valdis Krebs
Sent: Wednesday, 23 August 2006 9:41 AM
To: Value-N...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Accenture's ONA tool?
Valdis Krebs
> Valdis - I am being cynical - it looks like brochureware rather than
> an actual proof of the concept. I suppose I have 2 concerns. 1. It's
> extremely vague about where the data will come from. Is it based on
> phone & email logs or does it depend on people filling in regular
> surveys or Friendster-style profiles? 2. I can see execs saying: "Wow,
> I can push buttons and my companies will integrate - cool!"
Yeah I agree Matt -- it is toy problem & solution -- but I am a big
believer in putting stuff out there and letting people comment and
interact with it.
> There is a growing interest in "Real-time" (as opposed to historical)
> analytics & dashboards. And I find some of the possibilities
> fascinating.
Yeah, real-time SNA is like Web 2.0... everybody is talking about and
pontificating great things, but like many things the results may not
match the hype. The achilles heal of all of this real time stuff, is
that people are not routers. Human beings are not routers on the
internet or the corporate WAN. Maybe the routing topology on the net
changes quickly as routers and links go down, jams are routed around,
etc. Here you need a real time map to keep up with how the information
is flowing right now. But people's networks do not change that
quickly. Even if I meet a 100 people a day, they do not all [if any]
become part of my network, they be become acquaintances, or something
similar -- they are contacts and may not be useful in my network until
we get to know each other.
Karen Stephenson did some cool research back in the 90s on change in
human networks. She studied an insurance company that went through
regular re-orgs and a merger or two. What she found was fascinating.
The formal networks morphed with ever org change but the informal
networks tended to stay the same. Matt, if you and I learn to trust
each other's expertise in a project we do together, then no matter
where you go [inside the company or out] I will call you when I have a
data base issue and need an expert opinion. Maybe I'm suppose to go to
X, but he is new, doesn't know the turf, appears arrogant, etc. so... I
call Matt, he knows the org, the tech and how it is applied. And if
Matt does not know then one of his db buddies will and he will
introduce me. We go to those we feel comfortable with, even though the
internet allows us to [theoretically] access anyone on-line in the
whole world.
> Is the "real-time" model feasible for all forms of Network Analysis?
It is doable, but is useful? I don't know. I suppose it might be
interesting in a call center, but I bet once a call center employee
figures out who the go-to people are, he/she will likely keeping going
to them -- even if they are not the most appropriate expert. We often
settle for "good enough" rather than "best" -- especially if "good
enough" is easy to get. I have found snapshots over a defined time
period to be useful in consulting work. Maybe finding out why X
connected to Y is fun for academics, but biz folks may not be that
interested in why, they just want to know 'what'. Then they will
figure out 'what next'.
> How would you do something like this in your work? Let's have a
> conversation about this.
Taking into account Stephenson's research I suggest to clients they
take a monthly snapshot of the networks in two or more combining
organizations -- whether merger, joint venture, strategic alliance,
parts supplier, etc. Of course some situations require different time
spans.
Initially, when two orgs combine their is a lot of activity with people
talking to others, discovering who they are, who they can work with,
etc. But this self-organizing activity usually does not last long as
people settle into a comfortable routines with familiar others. These
relationships then tend to last no matter what is lobbed in from the
outside
Verna Allee
I am in agreement with all of your points. It is basically an
educational/marketing type video but reading between the frames they
say that it is based on electronic communications. That sounds like
e-mail and/or phone calls primarily. E-mail volume could actually be
about something like a billing problem, which isn't exactly the type of
insights you would be looking for. The fact that there is a
communication tells you nothing about the quality of the communication,
although some e-mail monitoring applications are supposed to be
taxonomy based. Survey based data can get at those questions, but the
limitation there is that surveys are subjective, not objective. (Don't
you love the way the big consultancies act like they are inventing the
wheel, when the are using methodologies that have been around for
several decades?)
Oliver Scwabe has been looking at ways to integrate company data into
the value network analysis and are making some good progress in the
prototype application and have actually populated the tangible
transactions with company data on one of our projects. Transactional
data is relatively straight forward but intangible exchanges and
supporting activities tend not to show up that way and generally would
need a survey tool or group process to identify them. Also, the issues
around cleaning and preparing data are rather conveniently side stepped
when most people talk about doing this.
Verna
Oliver Schwabe
networks you may be interested in exploring a series of applications I use
regularly in various settings. Some of these are also used by the SNA/ONA
community, however I use them slightly differently to support understanding
differences between the tangible and intangible networks. This means that
all of the applications are used to generate visuals and analytics for the
value network with tangible transactions only, the value network with
intangible transactions only, and the whole value network with all
transactions - these three perspective are then used as the basis for
conducting an exchange analysis
(http://www.value-networks.com/howToGuides/ExchangeAnalysis.pdf) and
designing future state plus migration pathways. MY efforts to date are all
preferably building on software provided in full version under some sort of
General Public License to allow for coding adjustments and in the spirit of
the open source community.
1. Ucinet (including NetDraw and MAGE)- Software for Social Network Analysis
- http://www.analytictech.com/downloaduc6.htm
2. Pajek - Program for Large Network Analysis -
http://vlado.fmf.uni-lj.si/pub/networks/pajek/
3. KiNG - 3D molecular viewer -
http://kinemage.biochem.duke.edu/software/king.php
4. SoNIA - social network image animator (time series visualization) -
http://www.stanford.edu/group/sonia/
5. CCVisu - generates VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language and OpenGL)
images - http://mtc.epfl.ch/%7ebeyer/CCVisu/
6. VenSim - System dynamics simulation software - http://www.vensim.com/
7. Visio - 2D value network visualization - www.visio.com
8. Cortona - 3D emulator - http://www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona
9. Tridef - highly specialized converter for preparing visuals that can be
navigated with helmet displays
(http://www.vrealities.com/vrealviewer3d.html) and data gloves
(http://www.vrealities.com/P5.html) -
http://www.ddd.com/technology/tech_tridefrealtime.html /
10. GenIsis application - Excel to Visio converter and value network
analyzer (prototype of Value Network Worflow Composer allowing for real-time
ERP workflow configuration based on value network principles) -
http://www.value-networks.com/applications.htm
11. GenIsis Excel Plug-In - Import Visio to Excel, anaylze and one click
visualization from Excel in SoNIA and KiNG -
http://www.value-networks.com/applications.htm
12. ARIS - process visualization tool -
http://www.aris.com/international/english/products/53961
13. SAP Solution Composer -
http://www.sap.com/solutions/businessmaps/composer/index.epx
14. Neural Network Software - Training of decision making processes based on
neural emulation - http://www.easynn.com/
15. Conway's Game of Life - A cellular automaton, customized version
included in GenIsis application -
http://www.value-networks.com/applications.htm
For me the above is sort of "best of the best" from a practitioner
standpoint :) Figure I have explored about 20 times as many different
applications over the past 3 years and currently culled out what is useful
for educational efforts. Lots of effort going into building open source
converters to ease access for non-expert users.
Many web site structure and IT network visualization tools can be used as
well. We are focusing on creating open interfaces based on XML to ease
migration processes. An example report is available at
http://www.value-networks.com/caseStudies/VNA-report-3cs_Annotated.ppt
(prepared by David Meggitt during qualification and kindly provided as an
example case study at http://www.value-networks.com/case_studies.htm).
As mentioned by Verna and others the major challenge is collecting the right
data / cleansing data. Additionally it is challenging to gather information
about intangible exchanges from automated environments of any sort. The
classical transactional focus (i.e. email, billing, phone calls etc) itself
does not reveal the critical exchanges from a value networks perspective.
For this reason I am moving more into pattern recognition approaches
(special focus on the Golden Spiral -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio - and Conway's Game of Life -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway%27s_Game_of_Life - currently) - these
allow for identification of intangible patterns that can be served through
(re-)configuration of tangible patterns.
Most importantly however I believe that by making all of these tools and
approaches easily accessible to the business community we can support
exploration and learning about how systems might be working. We need to
measure to learn and not control
(http://www.sveiby.com/Portals/0/articles/measuretolearn.pdf).
Cheers
Oliver
-----Original Message-----
From: Value-N...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:Value-N...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Verna Allee
Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 8:42 AM
To: Value Networks
Subject: Re: Accenture's ONA tool?
vaxe...@gmail.com
which appears to be dynamic realtime mapping, see the research and
publication tabs. Yes, they are using cell phones however they are
also tagging the content of the conversations.
One observation Bruce about the Accenture video. It sounds as if by
using the software alone for analysis and mapping the relationships an
integration will go smoothly. It might be useful to add in that with
training and coaching on relationship building across networks AND the
software one may have a better success rate. Otherwise there will be
some fine realtime maps of trainwrecks. Otherwise pretty straight
forward.
Vicki Axelrod
Matthew Moore
However, what frequently happens is that knowledge of some sort is harvesting and left in a large grain silo to rot (e.g. a database).
A better (but still problematic) metaphor is one of recycling.
Which coincides with some recent reading around cradle-to-cradle and industrial ecology. Which tends to look at networks of reuse for both natural resources and human manufacturing outputs. Most of the research in this area looks at tangibles.
Has there been any crossover between the Value Networks focus on intangible flows and the work of Industrial Ecology flows of materials & energy?
jheuristic
[Knowledge] Harvest -- Oh brother, this one is among the worst. It
evokes those great 1930s socialists' agriculture banners. Great
fields of knowledge, bending in the wind, just waiting for strong,
gigantic Soviet men and woman to begin gathering the people's
knowledge. Ridiculous. Besides, people speaking of knowledge harvest
never seem to remark about the entire lifecycle of knowledge and
cultivation. They seem to leave out the environment and context of
harvest: seasons, weather, arability, rotation, and so for the and so
on, when using this metaphor. Not to mention the predicates of harvest
such as planting and cultivation. Let's leave harvest to the farmers...
http://kmblogs.com/public/item/85669
-j
jheuristic
map intangible flows in the context and the work of Industrial Ecology
for materials & energy. Instead of 're'-cycling, which may imply an
end-of-life product artifact, it is more important to stress value
cycling -- the notion of closed-loop exchanges and flows that create
and sustain persistant value over time. -j
Matthew Moore
At the moment, most Corporate Social Responsibility programmes are PR greenwash and the siren call of quarterly reporting is strong but there are some signs of change.
Went to an interesting recent event on sustainability here in Sydney: http://www.ispisydney.org.au/media/PlanningSustainabilityCleanerProduction.ppt
Andrew Aschner made the point that industrial ecology is the kind of "value cycling" apporach John mentions below - but that it's too complicated for most businesses to implement.
-----Original Message-----
From: Value-N...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:Value-N...@googlegroups.com]On Behalf Of jheuristic
Sent: Friday, 25 August 2006 2:37 AM
To: Value Networks
Valdis Krebs
Entrepreneurs for Sustainability [E4S] and Green City-Blue Lake are the
two biggest efforts. Cleveland even has a summer sustainability
festival mocking it's polluted past -- called the Burning River
Festival. Local "Super Sustainability" business, Great Lakes Brewing
Company [all of their trucks run on bio-diesel, and the remnants of the
brewing process end up as inputs for other local processes], has a
great red lager called -- Burning River.
Here are a few blog posts about E4S...
http://www.networkweaving.com/blog/2006/04/entrepreneurs-4-
sustainability.html
http://www.networkweaving.com/blog/2006/04/entrepreneurs-4-
sustainability.html
Valdis
Valdis Krebs
http://www.networkweaving.com/blog/2006/06/cleveland-entrepreneurs-
their.html
Make sure the whole URL ends up in your browsers address box!
Prof. Jerald L. Feinstein
focusing on had to do with net energy flow models applied to what is
now talked about as value networks as well as related models where the
reduction of entropy was the metric used in assessing the contribution
of these networks.
However, recently I have not come across this idea.
However, if you find any recent work on the topic, please keep me posted.
Thanks, Jerry
Dr. Jerald L. Feinstein | Consultant and Professor | Emerging Technologies
Buzz Analytics LLC | Washington, DC | www.BuzzAnalytics.com
703-822-7164 Office | 202-997-1323 Cell
LinkedIn : http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=132246
--
steve...@earthlink.net
become really stimulating at exactly the moment they become
innapropriate. (See
www.kmworld.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=14344).
"Harvesting" is innapropriate on so many levels (tho not all)--except
that it begs a playful extension of the metaphor. Recycling is one
possibility. But composting is another. Or think of the empty husks and
stalks left on the field after a projects as the leftover research,
notes, messages, conversations, ideas, insights and relationships that
remain when a project is done and delivered. What you really want to do
is not capture and catalogue it but plow it back into the soil to
nourish the next project planted there.
Steve Barth
http://reflexions.typepad.com
www.reflectedknowledge.com (coming soon)
Verna Allee
Harvesting, composting....
Matthew there is some common theoretical ground with the ideal of
industrial ecology and value networks, in living systems theory. I
would say, though that industrial ecology as concerned with matter and
energy and physical resources is still about the tangible exchanges.
Nothing wrong with that and certainly to move to an ecology philosophy
rather than an exploitation philosophy is a big step forward and one I
applaud.
The reason something is a living system and not a mechanistic system is
that living systems have the capacity for self renewal. The natural
pattern of any living system is the network, specifically an
intelligent or autopoietic network. Autopoisis refers to that capacity
for renewal, which requires some level of cognition, perception and
unpredictable responses. Living systems are the world of probability,
not total and complete predictability.
Renewal in living systems happens through two basic types of exchanges
within the living system itself and with the environment. The first
type is material exchanges of matter and energy. In business this would
equate to the tangibles of goods, services and revenue or funding.
The second type are cognitive exchanges - the intelligence that runs
through the system. We have only recently begun to pay attention to
these more intangible types of exchanges when we refer to information,
knowledge, intelligence, experiences and emotive aspects of those
relationships.
So even though the philosophy of sustainability and industrial ecology
is a huge step forward it still keeps us anchored in the tangible or
material world of business. So it is still missing part of the picture
- the human and intelligent part.
You can learn more on this here:
http://www.vernaallee.com/value_networks/A_ValueNetworkApproach_white_paper.pdf
Verna
Verna Allee
resources for us. I know you have spent countless hours exploring
different tools and this is a very generous contribution. The scope of
your exploration is truly amazing and it is exciting to see others
beginning to engage in the visualizaton integration questions as well.
Verna
Prof. Jerald L. Feinstein
What I recall now was that there is a substantial amount of work done
in the area of "real options" and "value networks"
If you do a Google search on that combination, you'll get a long list
of publications as listed below. // Jerry
Dr. Jerald L. Feinstein | Consultant and Professor | Emerging Technologies
Buzz Analytics LLC | Washington, DC | www.BuzzAnalytics.com
703-822-7164 Office | 202-997-1323 Cell
LinkedIn : http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=132246
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