Idea networking

Idea networking is a qualitative method of doing a cluster analysis of any collection of statements, developed by Mike Metcalfe at the University of South Australia. Networking lists of statements acts to reduce them into a handful of clusters or categories. The statements might be source from interviews, text, websites, focus groups, SWOT analysis or community consultation. Idea networking is inductive as it does not assume any prior classification system to cluster the statements. Rather keywords or issues in the statements are individually linked (paired). These links can then be entered into network software to be displayed as a network with clusters. When named, these clusters provide emergent categories, meta themes, frames or concepts which represent, structure or sense-make the collection of statements.
Underlying philosophy
In his book Notes on the Synthesis of Form, the pragmatist Christopher Alexander suggested networking the ideas of clients as means to identifying the major facets of an architectural design. The links between ideas can be represented in a matrix or network. Modern network diagramming software, with node repulsion algorithms, allows useful visual representation of these networks revealing clusters of nodes.
When networking peoples' statements or ideas, these become the nodes and the links are provided by an analyst linking those statements thought to be similar. Keywords, synonyms, experience or context might be used to provide this linking. For example, the statements: (1) "That war is economics progressed by other means, might be considered linked to the statement"; (2) "That progress unfortunately needs the innovation which is a consequence of human conflict".

Linguistic pragmatism argues we use our conceptions to interpret our perceptions (sensory inputs).<ref name="Metcalfe"/> These conceptions might be represented by words as conceptual ideas or concepts. For example, if we use the conceptual idea or concepts of justice to interpret the actions of people, we get a different interpretation (or meaning) compared to using the conceptual idea of personal power. Using the conceptual idea of justice makes certain action ideas seem reasonable. These may include due process, legal representation, hearing both sides, have norms or regulations for comparison. Therefore, there is a relationship between conceptual ideas and related apparently rational action ideas.
If the statements gathered at a consultative meeting are considered action ideas, then clusters of these similar actions ideas might be considered to examples of a meta idea or conceptual idea. These are also called themes, and frames. Modern research extending Miller's Magic number 7 plus or minus 2, to idea handling, suggests a five-part classification is appropriate for humans.<ref name="Metcalfe"/>
Notable applications and uses
Using networking to cluster statements is considered useful because:<ref name="Metcalfe"/>
*It provides a multi-dimensional alternative to post-it notes in clusters.
*It offers a convenient graphic which can be presented in reports and analysed using network metrics (See Computer assisted qualitative data analysis software).
*It is an auditable process where each step taken can be explained in supporting documentation.
*It is a qualitative alternative, and thus more subtle and transparent, than NVivo, thematic analysis, cluster analysis, factor analysis, multidimensional scaling or principal component analysis. This subtleness includes enabling the analyst to deal with metaphor, synonyms, pronouns and alternative terminology generally. No variables (variation in numerical data) are necessary.

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