Organizational Network Analysis (ONA)
Overview
Organizational Network Analysis (ONA) is a method for mapping, measuring, and analyzing the relationships and interactions within an organization. It provides data-driven insights into how employees communicate, collaborate, and share information beyond formal hierarchies and reporting structures.
Why is ONA Important?
ONA helps organizations:
- Identify key influencers and bottlenecks in communication.
- Enhance collaboration by understanding informal networks.
- Improve decision-making by visualizing how information flows.
- Support leadership development by recognizing emerging leaders.
- Optimize workflows and team structures for efficiency.
- Identify members with mathematically unstable workplace social structures for preemptive resiliency.
| Centrality Type | Meaning | Best For Identifying… | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree Centrality | # of direct connections | Highly connected individuals | Team leads with many direct reports |
| Betweenness Centrality | Bridging paths | Gatekeepers & bottlenecks | Executive assistants, project managers |
| Closeness Centrality | Accessibility | Information distributors | Mid-level managers, communicators |
| Eigenvector Centrality | Influence of connections | Key influencers & thought leaders | Senior executives, industry experts |
| Brokerage Centrality | Connecting separate groups | Cross-team innovators | Consultants, boundary spanners |
| Average Path Length | Shortest paths between every pair of individuals | Level of connectedness within the organization | It takes 3 connections to get from one side to the other |
Project Nomad ONA Methodology
While some private sector organizations utilize robust ONA methodologies, Project Nomad deliberately uses a lightweight framework to collect ONA data. Our 2-question survey takes 3 minutes to complete, asking participants (1) what their name is and (2) to list up to 5 co-workers that they interact with the most.
How to Get Started
- Contact the Project Nomad team using the “Contact Us” page.
- Provide an Excel listing the name, rank/grade, unit, and office symbol of every member within the organization(s).
- Work with the Nomad team to build the 2-question ONA survey.
- Collect at least an 80% response rate from everyone within the organization(s).
- Schedule the formal ONA debrief from the Project Nomad team.
Project Nomad 