In this phase, specific households (nodes) in a social network are identified whose actions may influence others to act too, i.e., the seed nodes.
We will identify households characteristics needed to understand where to start activating people. We will use qualitative user research and context mapping to understand Motivation, Opportunity and Ability of people. Second, we will determine the influence networks, adoption thresholds and determination of whose actions may influence others to act, i.e., the seed nodes.
We will map the households’ social network using data collected from survey questionnaires and data from A1. A standardized dual-mode postal / e-mail survey is set out in the experimental sites: social housing rental flats in the south-east of Haarlem and homeowners in Zeist. We seek to identify sets of seed nodes that are first approached by our team. The goal is to set in motion a contagion by first convincing them to agree to a “transition package”, in the hope that their initial actions trigger their contacts.
Actions:
- Conduct survey with quantitative measures of networks & thresholds.
- Determine network structure from qualitive & quantitative measures.
- Determine adoption thresholds from qualitative & quantitative measures.
- Calibrate complexity model to identify seed nodes in local settings.
We will use methods such as context mapping, user research or role-play to understand the network, the households’ demographics, households’ reluctance to transition, their susceptibility to social influence, their connections to others in the network, current energy source, and more. These characteristics, together with the adoption thresholds and the influence networks allow for the identification of the optimal seed households in the network.
Actions:
- Qualitative user research on households’ characteristics & susceptibility
- Giga-mapping of the system of households & stakeholders.