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Network Analysis

Phases of the Innovation Cycle

Inspiration → Planning

Planning → Development

Realisation → Dissemination

Support to farmers

Group of farmers

One-on-one

Goal

This tool focuses on your project's connections/networks, identifying engaged actors, actors that might be missing exploring how to link with those you have not yet contacted.

Description

The Network Analysis tool offers a visual representation that facilitates the identification of diverse stakeholders essential for the successful implementation of an initiative. Who are the interested parties, who stands to gain from the initiative, who do you have to take into account and who else is involved?

  1. The Network Analysis tool starts with defining the initiative. What is it intrinsically about, what are we trying to achieve?
  2. Carriers or initiators of the initiative are grouped around the initiative. They are the core actors committed to the project: they feel ownership towards the initiative, they feel responsible for bringing the initiative further.
  3. In a circle drawn on a large sheet, the factors that are crucial for the success of the initiative are identified.
  4.  Additionally, alongside these factors, the relevant actors required to manage each of them are recorded. Those actors can actively contribute or have an impact on the initiative. They can be either suppliers, providing essential building blocks such as finance and expertise or users who benefit from the initiative. Who should be involved? Who may be either impacted by or have an influence on the project? Whose potential reactions should be anticipated? It is important to identify individuals rather than institutions, as people have the ability to drive progress.
  5. Finally, the participants look for links: people who can provide access to the actors. These individuals may not actually be involved in the initiative (yet). However, they are in a position to provide a useful service. Who can make connections? Which connections should be improved?

Once the participants map connections, they identify specific actions to make these connections happen. Map these contacts and ideas on a flipchart to follow up!

Preparation times

0-2 hours

Execution times

0-2 hours

Materials needed

  • Rope and pieces of paper to recreate the Network Analysis on the floor (see pic) or a whiteboard to draw it as the exercise progresses.
  • Blocks of sticky notes, at least 4 different colours.
  • Sharpies or pens.
  • Bring your own project to explore!

Resources

Photos

Documents

NETWORK ANALYSIS_doc

English

document