Analyzing complex online relationships is a difficult job, but new information visualization tools are enabling a wider range
of users to make actionable insights from the growing volume of online data. This paper describes the challenges and methods
for conducting analyses of threaded conversations such as found in enterprise message boards, email lists, and forums. After
defining threaded conversation, we characterize the types of networks that can be extracted from them. We then provide 3 mini
case studies to illustrate how actionable insights for community managers can be gained by applying the network analysis metrics
and visualizations available in the free, open source NodeXL tool, which is a powerful, yet easy-to-use tool embedded in Excel
2007/2010.
This paper is a revised version of a chapter from “Analyzing Social Media Networks with NodeXL: Insights from a Connected
World” by Hansen, Shneiderman, and Smith to be published by Morgan Kaufmann Publishers in Fall 2010.