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Seeing and Tuning Social Networks

Posted by michael on from the if-a-blog-falls-in-the-forest-does-it-make-a-sound dept.

Lisam writes "Jon Udell, in a fascinating column titled "Seeing and Tuning Social Networks", writes: "New forms of social software are one of the most hopeful green shoots erupting from a still-bleak technology landscape." Software is catching up with what we know about social networks: the greater the reach of your array, the more effective an actor you can be within an organization.In this column, Jon talks with two observers about software that maps social networks and their patterns..."

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  1. He didn't look very hard before calling it new... by tlambert · · Score: 3, Informative

    This whole realm is already at least partially mapped out by a number of researchers. The ones referenced in the article are actually the least impressive of the lot, in my experience.

    My personal pick for most notable researcher in this area is Joshua Epstein. He's with the Sante Fe Institute. The best book of the several he's written is:

    Nonlinear Dynamics, Mathematical Biology
    and Social Science (Santa Fe Institute
    Series, Lecture Notes, Vol 4)
    Joshua M. Epstein
    Perseus Publishing
    ISBN: 0201419882

    It presents a number of mathematical models (games theory), including a variant of a Non-linear Richardson called "GloboCop", which does a fairly good job of modelling "core team" based Open Source software projects (IMO).

    There has actually been a lot of work along these lines; the first I ever heard of it was an article in Analog Magazine's "Science Fact" column, entitled "Toward a Science of Psychohistory".

    -- Terry