Email: Dispersed and Hidden

Copyright © 2008, Valdis Krebs

I love this image.

For me it says it all.

What’s the image of?

Here’s an edited version of what Valdis Krebs says about his image:

The social network map above shows the email flows amongst a large project team...Each person on the team is represented by a node. Each node is colored according to the person's department -- red, blue, or green. Yellow nodes are consultants...Grey nodes are not formal team members but are external experts...

...Only emails addressed to individuals were used...A grey link is drawn between two nodes if two persons sent email to each other at a weekly or higher frequency.

• It’s kind of astounding to think of all the information that is embodied here, but unavailable to the group as a whole.

• On the other hand, if all this information was available to the group i.e. the same information is in all these communications, there is tremendous inefficiency.

With email, ideas, plans, and information are hidden in dispersed inboxes.

With a wiki, information can be centralized, shared, contextualized in real time, allowing collaboration, and coordination. Knowledge can be retained, built upon, and is findable.

Note: This is only a picture of flows of emails addressed to individuals. “Reply all” emails are estimated to make up 30% of all emails in offices. When a wiki is introduced, wiki vendors, including Socialtext say that 30% of email migrates to the wiki, which is a much more useful place for them. 

Personal disclosure: I am a sucker for maps; I used to own and run a map business.