NASA Project: Distributed Design

Geri Gay, Professor Information Science & Communication

Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Social Networks

• Comprise a set of people , organizations, and other social entities connected by socially meaningful relationships

• Study of communities in physical environments-can well-known concepts be transferred to virtual

Network analysis

• Group comprised of highly interconnected members

• In network analysis researchers measure the degree to which a group is a community

• Share important resources, provide social support, show reciprocity

Strength of ties

• Strong ties (family, close friends)

• Weak ties (share fewer resources and depend less on one another)

• Can you maintain close relationships online?

Social network analysis

• Focuses on relations between people rather than on individual characteristics

• Look for resources that are exchanged in creating and maintaining relations

• Multiplex ties (many relations) are more intimate, supportive.and durable

SameTime A/V Meeting Network, Fall 2002

Red – Cornell UniversityBlue – Syracuse University

Team Centrality

Wing TPS (16.83)

Chin Hot (16.33)

Wing Hot (12.17)

Hot Fuselage (10.17)

Active Cool (9.83)

Mean of info2_v degree

18

16

14

12

10

8

Average Team Centrality (t2).

AIDE Apprehension (t2).

Team Centrality

Wing TPS (16.83)

Chin Hot (16.33)

Wing Hot (12.17)

Hot Fuselage (10.17)

Active Cool (9.83)

Mean of s3 Team evaluation (s3b10-14).88

6.5

6.0

5.5

5.0

4.5

4.0

Assessment of Teamwork satisfaction (t3):•Honesty•Support•Conflict resolution

Team Centrality

Wing TPS (16.83)

Chin Hot (16.33)

Wing Hot (12.17)

Hot Fuselage (10.17)

Active Cool (9.83)

Mean of s1 DL expectation (s1b1-5).67

5.8

5.6

5.4

5.2

5.0

4.8

Expectations toward Distance Learning (t1).

• Using Social Network Analysis to inform decisions about group membership

• Identified teams with – Less initial apprehension toward new technology

– High expectations for DL

– High evaluations of intra-group communication

• Important dimensions for New task groups