Online conversations (and even offline ones) are, deep down, networks. But how to visualize network data so that they make sense to non-network scientists? Presentation at the second CATALYST consortium meeting.

1. Online conversation as networks
February 2014

2. Got data. Now what?

5. Overwhelmed?

6. Look closer!

7. What can you say about a
conversation without reading it all?

8. What can you say about a
conversation without reading it all?
•
look at the visualization

9. What can you say about a
conversation without reading it all?
•
•
look at the visualization
guess what it means

10. What can you say about a
conversation without reading it all?
•
•
•
look at the visualization
guess what it means
how would you, as community manager, react to this information?

11. What can you say about a
conversation without reading it all?
•
•
•
•
look at the visualization
guess what it means
how would you, as community manager, react to this information?
“the vocalizer” of the network analysis software conveys
interpretations for you

12. Very important!

13. Very important!
•
The network must be specified. It is important to define what nodes
and edges represent.

14. Very important!
•
The network must be specified. It is important to define what nodes
and edges represent.
•
Here (mostly): nodes => users, edges => comments

15. Is my team of moderators doing a
good job?

16. With moderators
Density 0.028
Average weighted degree 10.87
Average distance 2.3

17. No moderators
Density 0.013
Average weighted degree 3.7
Average distance 3.3

18. With moderators
Density 0.028
Average weighted degree 10.87
Average distance 2.3
No moderators
Density 0.013
Average weighted degree 3.7
Average distance 3.3

19. Moderators rock!

20. Moderators rock!
•
“No user left behind”: they connect to the general conversation
people that are not talking to each other.

21. Moderators rock!
•
“No user left behind”: they connect to the general conversation
people that are not talking to each other.
•
They reduce the average distance between members by one hop

22. Moderators rock!
•
“No user left behind”: they connect to the general conversation
people that are not talking to each other.
•
•
They reduce the average distance between members by one hop
They increase the average weighted degree (number of interactions
on the network) from 4 to 11

23. How sustainable is my community?

24. moderators
Community
400
2000
300
1500
200
1000
100
500
0
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Posts by contributor
(cumulated)
0
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Comments by contributor
(cumulated)

25. Share of Comments
Share of Posts
1
0,75
0,5
0,25
0
Nov Dec
Jan
Feb Mar Apr May Jun
User generated content as a
share of the total content
Jul

26. Share of participating users
Share of relationships
1
0,75
0,5
0,25
0
Nov Dec Jan
Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Share of the conversation that does
NOT involve moderators
Jul

27. Not much, but getting better

28. Not much, but getting better
•
Almost all posts and about two thirds of the comments are produced
by the community, not the moderators.

29. Not much, but getting better
•
Almost all posts and about two thirds of the comments are produced
by the community, not the moderators.
•
BUT A lot of the interactions involve moderators. Drop them at your
own risk!

30. Not much, but getting better
•
Almost all posts and about two thirds of the comments are produced
by the community, not the moderators.
•
BUT A lot of the interactions involve moderators. Drop them at your
own risk!
•
On the plus side, the share and number of interactions NOT involving
moderators are both growing.

31. Are specialized subcommunities
emerging?

32. Moderators removed
Modularity 0.5 (>0.4 = “high”)
Subcommunities are clearly
visible

33. Are subcommunities
specializing?
Bluer edge = more
specialization on one or few
topics,
Redder edge = no
specialization, all topics equally
discussed

34. It seems so!
(but check absolute numbers)

35. How “broad” and “deep” are my
results?

36. Topic tree
Blue research questions are
addressed by green posts, in
turn validated by red comments

37. Topic tree (detail)

38. Topic tree (detail)
No validation

39. Topic tree (detail)
Lots of validation

40. Topic tree (detail)
Broad discussion,
many points of
view

41. Topic tree (detail)
Narrow discussion

42. Some are, some are not...

43. Some are, some are not...
•
Check you are not relying on results from “narrow” and “shallow”
discussion, however you might like the content!

44. Some are, some are not...
•
Check you are not relying on results from “narrow” and “shallow”
discussion, however you might like the content!
•
Deploy moderators to ask the community to reinforce semmeingly
important results that are not sufficiently validated

45. Now go do it!

46. A SNA module for Drupal

47. coming soon....