Network Mapping

What is it?

This is a practice that looks to visually map out commonalities between members of the team or organization. It provides a map of how each person relates to one another. The goal of this practice is to create a spark for follow-on conversation between folks who may not have met before or deepen the relationship for those they have met.

Why use it?

When new teams are forming, or there is a need for a team to form better relationships with one another, this practice can provide an easy way to begin that journey. The safe space it can provide only needs to go as deep as the two people creating the connection want to go, and does not discriminate those more extraverted or introverted. While the desire to form a relationship with the entire team, you may find yourself more connected to some and less connected to others. That is okay and understanding the level of comfort between two people is a step to understanding personal boundaries before they come up as an issue.

Steps

1. Everyone writes their name and a few personal characteristics (ie: Name, Where are you from, Favorite fictional character) on a post it
2. Put that post it on a whiteboard or writeable canvas (use the full space)
3. Find a partner and face each other. Each pair will line up to form two lines facing each other
4. In 1-2 minutes, each pair needs to find something in common, draw a line on the whiteboard between their two post its and write out the common thing along that line.
5. Have one line rotate to the left and repeat step 4 with your new partner

**Go through 3-4 rounds to create a good map, not necessary to everybody at first.

Certainly can come back and do this again if the teams or organization is very large. This can also be a living document and put up somewhere in the room if you have a physical location, or referred back to if electronic.

Further Information

• Initial base idea heard at Agile Games New England from Erica Maguire’s talk on “Building Networks and Bridges”