Research Note - Towards Dynamic Visualization for Understanding Evolution of Digital Communication Networks

The capabilities offered by digital communication are leading to the evolution of new network structures that are grounded in communication patterns. As these structures are significant for organizations, much research has been devoted to understanding network dynamics in ongoing processes of electronic communication. A valuable method for this objective is Social Network Analysis. However, its current focus on quantifying and interpreting aggregated static relationship structures suffers from some limitations for the domain of analyzing online communication with high volatility and massive exchange of timed messages. To overcome these limitations, this paper presents a method for event-based dynamic network visualization and analysis together with its exploratory social network intelligence software Commetrix. Based on longitudinal data of corporate email communication, the paper demonstrates how exploration of animated graphs combined with measuring temporal network changes identifies measurement artifacts of static network analysis, describes community formation processes and network lifecycles, bridges actor level with network level analysis by analyzing the structural impact of actor activities, and measures how network structures react to external events. The methods and findings improve our understanding of dynamic phenomena in online communication and motivate novel metrics that complement Social Network Analysis.

[1]  Stanley Wasserman,et al.  Social Network Analysis: Methods and Applications , 1994, Structural analysis in the social sciences.

[2]  Marko Čupić,et al.  Online communities – Designing Usability, Supporting Sociability , 2003 .

[3]  M. Collins,et al.  Perceptions of e‐moderators about their roles and functions in moderating electronic mailing lists , 2000 .

[4]  Jafar Adibi,et al.  The Enron Email Dataset Database Schema and Brief Statistical Report , 2004 .

[5]  Daniel J. Brass.  Being in the right place: A structural analysis of individual influence in an organization. , 1984 .

[6]  T. Snijders.  The statistical evaluation of social network dynamics , 2001 .

[7]  D. Krackhardt.  The strength of strong ties: The importance of Philos in organizations , 2003 .

[8]  John J. Bertin,et al.  The semiology of graphics , 1983 .

[9]  Mark S. Granovetter.  The Strength of Weak Ties , 1973, American Journal of Sociology.

[10]  Jenny Preece,et al.  Online Communities: Designing Usability and Supporting Sociability , 2000 .

[11]  Philippa Pattison,et al.  Dynamic Social Network Modelling and Analysis , 2003 .

[12]  B. Wellman,et al.  Different Strokes from Different Folks: Community Ties and Social Support , 1990, American Journal of Sociology.

[13]  Tora K. Bikson,et al.  The interplay of work group structures and computer support , 1990 .

[14]  Kathleen M. Carley.  Dynamic Network Analysis , 2003 .

[15]  Marc A. Smith,et al.  Visualization components for persistent conversations , 2001, CHI.

[16]  Daniel A. McFarland,et al.  Dynamic Network Visualization1 , 2005, American Journal of Sociology.

[17]  Jonathon N. Cummings,et al.  Internet Paradox Revisited , 2002 .

[18]  Á. M. Hernáez.  Borgatti, Stephen; Martin Everett i Lin Freeman. UCINET IV. Network Analysis Software. Version 1.0. Columbia: Analytic Technologies, 1992 , 1995 .

[19]  Patti Anklam,et al.  Knowledge Management: The Collaboration Thread. , 2005 .

[20]  Wendy A. Kellogg,et al.  Social translucence: an approach to designing systems that support social processes , 2000, TCHI.

[21]  Patrick Doreian,et al.  The dynamics and evolution of social networks , 1997 .

[22]  Emden R. Gansner,et al.  Graphviz and Dynagraph – Static and Dynamic Graph Drawing Tools , 2003 .

[23]  Matthias Trier,et al.  The Use of Instant Messaging in Working Relationship Development: A Case Study , 2005, J. Comput. Mediat. Commun..

[24]  Caroline Haythornthwaite,et al.  Studying Online Social Networks , 2006, J. Comput. Mediat. Commun..

[25]  Andreas Girgensohn,et al.  Browsers to support awareness and social interaction , 2004, IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications.

[26]  Mustafa Emirbayer.  Manifesto for a Relational Sociology1 , 1997, American Journal of Sociology.

[27]  Edward M. Reingold,et al.  Graph drawing by force‐directed placement , 1991, Softw. Pract. Exp..

[28]  Matthias Trier,et al.  IT-Supported Visualization of Knowledge Community Structures , 2005, Proceedings of the 38th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.

[29]  Ben Shneiderman,et al.  Balancing Systematic and Flexible Exploration of Social Networks , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics.

[30]  Ben Shneiderman,et al.  Readings in information visualization - using vision to think , 1999 .

[31]  Vladimir Batagelj,et al.  Pajek - Program for Large Network Analysis , 1999 .

[32]  S. Boorman,et al.  Social Structure from Multiple Networks. I. Blockmodels of Roles and Positions , 1976, American Journal of Sociology.

[33]  Dimitrina S. Dimitrova,et al.  Computer Networks as Social Networks: Collaborative Work, Telework, and Virtual Community , 1996 .

[34]  S. R. Hiltz.  Online communities , 1983 .

[35]  Sandra Gonzalez,et al.  Dynamic Social Network Modelling and Analysis: Workshop Summary and Papers Edited by Ronald L. Breiger, Kathleen M. Carley and Philippa Pattison , 2003, J. Artif. Soc. Soc. Simul..

[36]  L. Freeman.  THE IMPACT OF COMPUTER BASED COMMUNICATION ON THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF AN EMERGING SCIENTIFIC SPECIALTY , 1984 .

[37]  S. Boorman,et al.  Social structure from multiple networks: I , 1976 .

[38]  Linton C. Freeman,et al.  Carnegie Mellon: Journal of Social Structure: Visualizing Social Networks Visualizing Social Networks , 2022 .