Dan McLinden

Idea Network Analysis (aka concept mapping)

Idea Network Analysis is a method for crowdsourcing the understanding of and the design of interventions for any number of complex challenges. Unlike other group processes which rely on consensus; this process elicits the many and diverse viewpoints on an issue. The methodology relies on brainstorming, sorting, and rating to collect input from the group. Multivariate analyses then create a visual representation, a map, of the group's thinking.

There are multiple methods that use the term “concept mapping.” I intend to avoid name confusion by renaming my instantiation of the methodology in this software as Idea Networking. I use this term because of the close relationship between techniques for analyses and visualization used in Social Network Analysis and Idea Network analysis (aka concept mapping).

Included here are several programs that support the analysis and visualization of an Idea Network. Click the URL and check the ReadMe document for help with downloading and to get a brief description of the package.

Note: You need to have R and JAVA on your computer. Download and install a version of JAVA (32 o4 64 bit) that matches the version of R (32 or 64 bit) that is installed. Required is R 3.5.3. A new version of R (3.6.#) exists but some packages used in this code to create powerpoint output do not yet work properly with the newest version of R so for best results, use R 3.5.3.

Learn more

• info@ideanetworks.io
• Idea Networks

Data collection for Idea Networks

A word document for recording responses for manual data collection of sorting and rating data. see README for recommendations for online sorting tools

R code for Idea Network Analysis

R-code that reads sort data to create a map of ideas. NOTE - SITE IS DOWN TEMPORARILY FOR MAINENANCE. Contact info@ideanetworks.io with questions. Outputs include an excel file of cluster membership for five to 15 clusters and reports in powerpoint files that summarize results and can be used to create presentations.

R-code to visualize the pattern of values between measures (e.g., importance & feasibility) and/or between groups of respondents (e.g., management & staff) as a pattern analysis.

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