sociometrics

//Understanding social structures and systems//
 * SOCIOMETRICS**


 * What it is**

An activity that engages people in representing social dynamics using physical spaces.

Social network analysis and social mapping are two of its most common applications in professional learning environments.


 * When to use it**

It is an excellent approach to: - set the context and break the ice. - connect people - decipher complex structures - create an open environment and share knowledge


 * How it is applied**


 * Identify objectives for an introductory exercise before using sociometrics as an ice-breaker.
 * Prepare a series of questions or statements related to the participants themselves or the subject matter.
 * Create questions related to personal backgrounds if the objective is purely to introduce people (e.g. how many years have you worked in OHCHR? How many reports to the Human Rights Council have you drafted? Which among those would you consider the dominant traits of your human rights experience? Legal advice? Human rights monitoring? Assistance to human rights mechanisms? Capacity building? Advocacy? Working with partners? Programme and management?).
 * Identify the physical spaces that represent each answer (use a sign, flipcharts or vocal identification).
 * Instruct participants to gravitate to the space or group that is most relevant to them.
 * Tell the participants to discuss the issue and identify one key reflection, such as a common reason for the selection, to share with the other groups.
 * Repeat the process 1 to 3 times with different sets of questions or statements, to encourage the largest possible mixing of participants.
 * Debrief the group in an informal plenary to reiterate key observations and collect reflections from participants.


 * How to adapt it**


 * Enhance the level of interaction by instructing participants to situate themselves in an ascending line according to characteristics as simple as thumb size or amount of water consumed each day, as practical as total years of experience or the level of alertness compared to tiredness, or as personal as ranking introverts to extraverts or total number of countries visited.
 * See the link in Resources below for two more variations and sample questions.


 * What to consider**


 * The exercise must demonstrate to participants that they are active agents in the process. The sociometrics should bring them closer to the subject of the meeting.
 * Avoid long exercises, as people tend to get tired or bored after about 20 minutes.
 * Ensure that there are good acoustics in the room, so that instructions can be heard over any movement of participants.
 * Creating diagrams, graphs and tables can be revealing about the nature of the networks. However, they are often hard to understand and interpret.

Sociometrics are mainly used for icebreaking purposes and should not take longer than 20-30 minutes.
 * Timing**

- powerpoint with the questions of the sociometrics (visible in the room) - labels if you want to divide the participants in the room
 * What you will need**


 * Where to learn more**

An explanation can be found at: http://www.kstoolkit.org/Sociometric+IntroductionSample questions for “walk-to” or “find someone” variations: []


 * Quotes**

" Sociometrics as an icebreaker method was a powerful and efficient tool to create a dynamic in the group and by putting all colleagues, whatever their grade, responsibilities, experience and expertise on an equal footing. It helped a lot in creating a friendly atmosphere." (Patrice Gillibert)