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Social network webbing

Social Network Webbing helps groups uncover and activate the hidden power of their existing relationships.
What Is Made Possible
  • Revealing hidden resources: Participants map out their current connections, making visible the people, skills, and knowledge already present in the group or organization.
  • Strengthening and expanding networks: It highlights opportunities to build stronger ties and form new connections, especially across silos or informal boundaries.
  • Empowering bottom-up action: Instead of relying on top-down assignments, individuals are encouraged to take initiative and tap into their networks to move ideas forward.
  • Accelerating progress: Even loose or informal connections (like a friend of a friend) can become powerful levers for collaboration and innovation, often without needing big investments or detailed planning.
  • Shared understanding of the system: Everyone in the group gains a clearer picture of how they’re connected and where the network can be strengthened to support shared goals.

  • Time needed

    60 minutes 

  • Preparation

    1. Miro Board (online) or paper (F2F) and different colored Post-its
    2. Split into smaller groups (in pairs and foursomes) - prepare the rooms online in Teams

  • How to start

    1. Invite the members of a core working group with a shared purpose to create a map of their network and to decide how to expand and strengthen it
    2. Ask them to name the people they are currently working with and those they would like to include in the future (i.e., people with influence or expertise they need to achieve their purpose)

  • Step-by-step and timing

    1. Create a legend of all the key groups in the network needed to achieve your purpose and assign a Post-it color or symbol for each. (5 min).
    2. Every core group member prints clearly his or her name on a Post-it. Put the Post-its in a group in the center of the wall. (5 min).
    3. Ask all core group members, “What people do you know that are active in this work?” Create a Post-it with each of their names. Arrange the Post-its based on each person’s degrees of separation from each design group member. (10 min).
    4. Ask all core group members, “Who else would you like to include in this work?” Invite them to brainstorm and create Post-its for the other people they would like to include. Ask them to build the map of Post-its as a web with a core and periphery structure. New legend categories and colors may be needed as the webbing expands. (10 min).
    5. Tell the core group to step back and ask, “Who knows whom? Who has influence and expertise? Who can block progress? Who can boost progress?” Illustrate the answers with connecting lines. (15 min)
    6. Ask the group to devise strategies to: 1) invite, attract, and “weave” new people into their work; 2) work around blockages; and 3) boost progress. (10 min)

  • Hints

    1. Do not include more than 10 functions or distinct groups in the legend: it gets too confusing!
    2. Write down people’s names whenever possible instead of positions/titles
    3. Learn more from Smart Networks cofounder June Holley at www.networkweaver.com

  • Examples of use

    1. Develop more frontline ownership and leadership for change
    2. Help people see connections and “black holes”
    3. Help people self-organize and develop groups that are more resilient and able to absorb disruption

  • Link with other Liberating Structures

    Link with:

    1-2-4-All

    15% solutions

    Design storyboards

  • Link to Liberating Structures page

    Social network webbing

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