Apples and Pears

When you are setting up a Net-Map, at one point you will ask: “How strongly can these actors influence XY?” and you will request that your interview partner or group puts actor figurines on influence towers, their respective height representing the relative influence of the actor in this network and concerning the issue at stake [...]

Upcoming events

The Net-Map toolbox will go on its first trip around the world in December and January. I will present and discuss the tool as the following venues and dates: China, Beijing, Annual General Meeting of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (2nd of December 2007) Italy, Rome, International Fund for Agricultural Development (17th of [...]

Two heads are better than one

As the old Ashanti saying claims. In Ghana you can find little bronze figurines with two or more heads that are made to remind people that you can reach greater heights if you put your knowledge and insight together. Using Net-Map in the field we have seen that there are different possible approaches to putting [...]

It’s a box

The Net-Map Toolbox is a real, physical box. With little things inside that you can play with. It actually looks a bit like a board game. Which is not surprising, because the first field version was assembled out of pieces bought in a toy shop. I have realized that it is important to clarify that, [...]

Who is the civil society?

That is a question that really concerned the district directors of the National Commission on Civic Education in Ghana. As part of the African Peer Review Process these district directors are supposed to set up district APRM supervisory committees comprising representatives of “the” civil society. The idea is that these committees will supervise the implementation [...]

Where do new ideas come from?

In social network analysis there is a lot of research that tries to answer this question and one concept that comes up again and again is the strength of weak ties. That basically means: New ideas and inspiration normally come from those people you don’t know too well, who work in a completely different field, [...]

Introducing the Net-Map Toolbox

Net-Map is an interview-based mapping tool that helps people understand, visualize, discuss, and improve situations in which many different actors influence outcomes. By creating Influence Network Maps, individuals and groups can clarify their own view of a situation, foster discussion, and develop a strategic approach to their networking activities. More specifically, Net-Map helps players to [...]