Analysing Participation in Electronic Networks of Practice (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Electronic Networks of Practice (ENoP) are professional social networks in which professionals share knowledge, advice, and ideas with each other on challenges encountered in practice. Although different aspects of their use have been studied in the past ranging from the motivation of participants to the structure of emerging networks, very little is known about how professionals participate in ENoPs. OBJECTIVE This study proposes a comprehensive and detailed exploratory, conversation-based data analysis methodology to analyse closed, informal, and message-based ENoP participation, and also shows how this methodology can be used to study, develop, and maintain a well-connected and active ENoP. METHODS The proposed methodology includes a number of data analysis methods such as data clustering, social network analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), correlation analysis, content analysis, and conversation analysis. It is applied to a case study for an ENoP in breast cancer treatment for which participation is analysed and guidelines formulated. RESULTS The results show how the methodology can be applied to analyse informal and messages-based ENoP participation including a specific conversation extraction method, a specific social network elements extraction method, and a set of macro and micro measures with which to determine participation. Applying the proposed methodology to a case of an ENoP in breast cancer treatment results in a dataset of 51 extracted conversations in 1000 messages between 100 specialists in breast cancer treatment. The results show the network participation is higher when an active, central and well-known specialist starts a conversation; when feedback is acknowledged; when an initiator or other active, central and well-known specialists are involved in a conversation; and when a conversation does not overlap with another active and ongoing conversation. As another result, 5 dimensions and 5 clusters of conversations are defined and how they relate to ENoP participation. CONCLUSIONS The findings inform the research literature in five ways: (i) how to analyse informal and messages-based ENoP participation; (ii) the role members of ENoP, in particular, central members and admins play to keep a conversation alive; (iii) the way in which professionals engage in conversations; (iv) triggers for more active, engaging, continued user participation; (v) dimensions and attributes of conversations in ENoP and how they relate to ENoP participation. The methodology and guidelines together provide ENoP researchers, developers, admins, and expert members a means with which to study, develop, and maintain a well-connected and active ENoP.