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Network Impact

Network of Network Funders

November 9, 2010

A Member of The Monitor GroupA Member of The Monitor Group

Paris

San Francisco

São Paulo

Seoul

Singapore

Tokyo

Toronto

Zurich

Shanghai

Palo Alto

Johannesburg

Beijing

Chicago

Hong Kong

Cambridge

Delhi

Dubai

Los Angeles

Madrid

Manila

Mumbai

Munich

New York

Moscow

London

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http://blog.ted.com/2010/05/10/the_hidden_infl/

Nicholas Christakis: The hidden influence of social networks

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What’s top of mind for you about networks (and/or networks and impact

assessment)?

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Today’s Conversation

Communities of Practice

Our Domain: Why Are You Embracing Network Approaches?

Our Practice:

– What Do You Want to Learn About?

– Insights From Phase I

Learning Trajectory and Our Next Meeting

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Communities of Practice

Source: Wegner, McDermott, and Synder, Cultivating Communities of Practice (2002)

COMMUNITY

NNF

PRACTICEDOMAIN

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7 Principles for Cultivating CoPs• Design for evolution• Open a dialogue between inside and outside perspectives• Invite different levels of participation• Develop both public and private spaces• Focus on value• Combine familiarity and excitement• Create a rhythm for the community

Source: Wegner, McDermott, and Synder, Cultivating Communities of Practice (2002)

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Network Impact: Our Domain

COMMUNITY

Our CoP

PRACTICEDOMAIN

Source: Wegner, McDermott, and Synder, Cultivating Communities of Practice (2002)

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Why Are You Embracing Network Approaches?

• Networks for connectivity. Greater connectivity leads to more effective individual and collective work, and therefore better field-level outcomes.

• Networks for field-level impact. Building and supporting action-oriented networks can drive progress toward targeted outcomes.

• Networks for movement building. Networks are a vehicle for grass roots engagement and for connecting a range of activities and actors working toward a shared vision of longer-term transformation.

• Networks as an enabling infrastructure for social change. Networks are an important lever for social change. Increased network effectiveness helps build capacity for social change.

• Networks as a way of working. Use of social media and embracing web 2.0 principles (e.g. decentralization, transparency) make it possible to tap networks inside and outside of an organization, resulting in better information flows, access to expertise, and field-level impact.

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Network Impact: Our Practice

COMMUNITY

NNF

PRACTICEDOMAIN

Source: Wegner, McDermott, and Synder, Cultivating Communities of Practice (2002)

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Our Practice: Insights from NNF Phase IWhy is Assessing Network Impact Challenging:• Difficult to clarify desired outcomes• Multiple lenses for assessment:

1. Network as an end in itself2. Network as a means to an end

• Complexity • Decentralized systems• Long time horizons• Network potential differs depending on

lifecycle stage• Limited capacity to do evaluation• Impact is hard to quantify. Most data is

anecdotal• Lack of tools for assessing emergent systems• Stakeholders expect measurement against

conventional criteria

• c

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Our Practice: Insights from NNF Phase IDraft Principles for Assessing Network Impact:

• Be clear about: the network’s value proposition(s); who the network is accountable to; and the donor’s role in the network

• Be clear about what will focus your analysis and interpretation of the data.

• Gather data from diverse perspectives inside and outside the network.

• Emphasize learning over near-term judgment

• Focus on meaningful contribution toward impact, rather than attribution

• Use network evaluation as part of an ongoing dynamic process of network learning and adaptation

• Share learning broadly

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What Do You Want to Learn About?You = Everyone

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What Do You Want to Learn About?You = Network Impact Cohort

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Network Impact: Learning Trajectory

Phase One

Insights

Phase One

Insights

Network LifecycleNetwork Lifecycle

Network Metrics(+ iScale

Webinar)

Network Metrics(+ iScale

Webinar)

Crowd-souring

(with Beth Kanter)

Crowd-souring

(with Beth Kanter)

Network Weaving

(with Roberto

Cremonini)

Network Weaving

(with Roberto

Cremonini)

TOOLS:Guidelines

for Assessment

TOOLS:Guidelines

for Assessment

TOOLS: Making the

Case

TOOLS: Making the

CaseApril 5-6 Convenin

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April 5-6 Convenin

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For details see: http://networksguide.wikispaces.com/Network+Impact+Action+Learning+Cohort

+ iScale Webinar+ iScale

Webinar

Complexity Theory

Webinar

Complexity Theory

Webinar

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Plan for Next Week’s Meeting: Nov 16th 11am PT

Topic: Network Metrics & Lifecycle. Learning from AEA Think Tank

What’s the pre-work?•Think about a network you are assessing (or will need to):

• Reflect on where the network is at in its lifecycle. (Look at lifecycle model posted on the wiki.)

• What 3-5 measures of network health are most important to assess? (Look at pp 5-12 of iScale paper posted on wiki.)

Where to do it? http://networksguide.wikispaces.com/16-Nov+Issue+Meeting

How to get help? Contact Kelly (Kelly_Spann@monitor.com) or Diana (Diana_Scearce@monitor.com)

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http://networksguide.wikispaces.com/16-Nov+Issue+Meeting