Visualizing Collaborative Communication Networks

The research was a virtual collaboration project with students form Information Systems Department at the University of Cologne. The project led by Peter A. Gloor, a Research Scientist at the Center for Collective Intelligence at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT.

Purpose:

The central motivation for the study was to identify collaborative networks within and between SCAD’s Schools of Design, and with external partners. 

Questions:

1.What communication and collaboration patterns are identifiable within the School of Design at SCAD?

2.How transparent is collaboration and communication between individuals, departments and external entities?

3.To what extent are collaboration networks reflected among individuals, departments and external entities within the School of Design?

4.What are the major obstacles facing collaborative communication among different individuals, department and external entities within the School of Design?

Method and Data Collection

1.Social Network Analysis Tool (Condor)

2.Online Survey (Zoomerang)

3.Face to face interview

4.WORDiJ Software

5.SQL-Dumps as a base for the visualization

Reflections and lessons learned

•We were supposed to visualize & analyze communication data from SCAD, but we have never had access to such data.

•We had to use a dummy-mailbox as a temporary solution for getting any data at all.

•Technical challenges to analyze real data from SCAD to answer research questions

•IT-Department not providing us with SCAD data because of privacy issues

•We could not implement most of our ideas; those we could implement were very time-consuming.

•We underestimated the language barrier.

Screenshots of Visualization Application used in the research porject