Professional Learning

Workshop: Practicing systems: Introduction to Social Network Analysis (Online 7 & 14 May 2025)

Workshop: Practicing systems: Introduction to Social Network Analysis (Online 7 & 14 May 2025)

 Practicing systems Introduction to Social Network Analysis 3

Workshop: Practicing systems: Introduction to Social Network Analysis

Date and time: Wednesday 7 May and Wednesday 14 May 2025, 9.30am to 12.30pm AEST (registration from 9.15am) Registrants are to attend both sessions. (full day workshop - 2 sessions)

Venue: Via Zoom. Details will be emailed to registrants just prior to the workshop start time

Facilitator: Matt Healey

Register online by: Tuesday 6 May 2025. Spaces limited to 25 participants

Fees (GST inclusive): Members $325.00, AES Organisational member staff $460.00, Non-members $535.00, Student member $155.00, Student non-member $250.00* (GST inclusive) *Students must send proof of their full-time student status to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Workshop Overview

Systems practices (broadly defined as the suite of methods to understand complex systems) are moving increasingly into the spotlight. As evaluators, or those with a stake in evaluation, we are increasingly tasked with adopting newer or novel methodologies to supplement the core skills we possess.
Social network analysis (SNA) is one such systems practice. It is an approach to capturing and visualising the structure and interactions of the networks and connections that exist between individuals, groups and organisations. Focused on the social elements that operate within a network (e.g. information flows), it provides the framework for visualising complex and dynamic interplays between different stakeholders. Network analysis can reveal features and insights of networks that are otherwise difficult to see, and importantly can be used in a variety of ways including engagement, communications, workshops and evaluation.
Network analysis can be applied in any context that involves different actors or stakeholders – whether it’s about understanding partnerships among grant recipients, who communities trust and access information from during emergencies or identifying the key influencers or brokers in an organisation.
This workshop will introduce SNA as an evaluative technique, the theory that underpins SNA and the ways it is implemented. The focus is on practical application – you will walk away with the knowledge and skills to design and undertake your own network analysis in an evaluation context.
This is an introductory level workshop with no prior knowledge needed. The skills learned here will be useful for a range of responsibilities - from evaluation or program design through to stakeholder engagement. You will have access to materials and cloud-based platforms through which activities will be completed.

Workshop Content

Session 1 covers the fundamentals of SNA – including the core theory and requirements for scoping and planning SNA. We explore examples of SNA applied to different contexts and build our understanding of what we require to know that SNA is the right approach.
Session 2 moves into the ‘hands on’ part of the process and includes working through key activities to practice setting up, visualising, analysing, and communicating SNA.
This workshop is designed to be highly practical, with participants walked through each stage of the SNA process. Participants will be provided with a sample data set to use as part of the workshop.

Workshop Outcomes

By the end of the workshop, you will be able to:

  • Understand, describe and communicate the role and value of SNA and other systems techniques as part of your toolkit

  • Develop a scoping plan for SNA, including identifying the different requirements needed

  • Visualise an example dataset, create network maps, and undertake analysis

  • Interpret the results and explore the ways in which the findings can be used and communicated to stakeholders.

PL competencies

This workshop aligns with competencies in the AES Evaluator’s Professional Learning Competency Framework. The identified domains are:

  • Domain 4 – Research methods and systematic inquiry

  • Domain 5 – Project management

Who should attend?

Anyone interesting in understanding more about how to apply systems mapping methodologies to different context, with a particular application to evaluation, program design and stakeholder engagement. This is an introductory level workshop with no prior knowledge of systems practices needed.

Sliding scale example foundation

Workshop start times


About the facilitator

Matt Healey is a Principal Consultant and Co-Founder at First Person Consulting (FPC). Since 2014, Matt has worked on research, evaluation and design projects that span health, social and environmental content areas with clients of all types. Matt’s passion is the exploration of different approaches and tools used in other industries, and how they might be applied in evaluation and design contexts. His latest interest is all things ‘systems’ and what this means for addressing the sorts of needs and problems that we tackle.

Matt has used SNA and other systems methods in a range of projects. This includes partnership mapping and evaluation in public health, exploring barriers and enablers to the repair of household electrical equipment for the circular economy, and design opportunities to improve student physical activity in secondary schools.

Matt has a reputation as an enthusiastic and adaptable consultant and facilitator, known for consistently producing and providing products and services that are both engaging and useful. Matt has delivered both in-person and online training in a range of contexts, including a 50-person evaluation capability building program for the Victorian State Government.

Event Information

Event Date 07 May 2025 9:30am
Event End Date 14 May 2025 12:30pm
Cut Off Date 06 May 2025 4:00pm
Location Zoom
Categories Online Workshops

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