Different networks for different purposes: A network science perspective on collaboration and communication in an engineering design project
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Different networks for different purposes : A network science perspective on collaboration and communication in an engineering design project. / Piccolo, Sebastiano A.; Lehmann, Sune; Maier, Anja M.
I: Computers in Industry, Bind 142, 103745, 2022.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Different networks for different purposes
T2 - A network science perspective on collaboration and communication in an engineering design project
AU - Piccolo, Sebastiano A.
AU - Lehmann, Sune
AU - Maier, Anja M.
N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the case company for providing the data and the anonymous reviewers for their suggestions and comments. Sebastiano A. Piccolo: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Software, Formal analysis, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. Sune Lehmann: Conceptualization, Methodology, Supervision, Writing – review & editing. Anja M. Maier: Conceptualization, Methodology, Data curation, Supervision, Writing – review & editing. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - During the design and implementation of engineering systems, as project members solve problems and exchange information with each other, a complex network of organisational interactions is established. The study of organisational networks can provide us with a deeper understanding of how organisations function and can help us devise strategies to improve collaboration and communication. However, it is widely believed that communication networks accurately capture the underlying collaboration amongst the members of an organisation. Here, through the use of multilayer and temporal network analysis methods, we analyse collaboration (through the project activity log) and communication (via emails) in a large engineering project and find that, on the contrary, collaboration and communication networks are only weakly correlated. More importantly, collaboration and communication networks show diametrically opposite purposes, underscored by crucial topological differences. While the email communication network is organised to facilitate the spread of information, the collaboration network is organised to suppress error propagation. We discuss the implications of our findings on how to design organisational networks and how to foster effective communication.
AB - During the design and implementation of engineering systems, as project members solve problems and exchange information with each other, a complex network of organisational interactions is established. The study of organisational networks can provide us with a deeper understanding of how organisations function and can help us devise strategies to improve collaboration and communication. However, it is widely believed that communication networks accurately capture the underlying collaboration amongst the members of an organisation. Here, through the use of multilayer and temporal network analysis methods, we analyse collaboration (through the project activity log) and communication (via emails) in a large engineering project and find that, on the contrary, collaboration and communication networks are only weakly correlated. More importantly, collaboration and communication networks show diametrically opposite purposes, underscored by crucial topological differences. While the email communication network is organised to facilitate the spread of information, the collaboration network is organised to suppress error propagation. We discuss the implications of our findings on how to design organisational networks and how to foster effective communication.
KW - Collaboration
KW - Communication
KW - Data science
KW - Engineering design
KW - Network science
U2 - 10.1016/j.compind.2022.103745
DO - 10.1016/j.compind.2022.103745
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85134703560
VL - 142
JO - Computers in Industry
JF - Computers in Industry
SN - 0166-3615
M1 - 103745
ER -
ID: 323551151