ORI vs Organizational Network Analysis: what’s the difference?

Organizational Network Analysis, ONA, helps us understand how people are actually connected in an organization.

Who collaborates with whom? Where are the strong networks? Where do silos emerge? Which people connect different parts of the organization?

That is valuable knowledge.

But Organizational Relationship Intelligence, ORI, actually extends both before and after the analysis.

Before, because relationships should not just be observed. They should be strengthened.

After, because knowledge about the network only becomes valuable if it leads to action.

That’s why I see ORI as something broader than ONA.

ONA primarily helps us understand the network.

ORI is about an organization’s ability to systematically strengthen, understand and measure relationships, and use that knowledge to improve collaboration, psychological safety and results.

In our work with Hawen, we have described it as:

Activity → Analysis → Action

First, we do something that actually affects the relationships.

Then we analyze what we can learn about the organization.

After that, we use that knowledge to choose the next intervention, where it is actually needed.

Not the same activity for everyone. Not a report that ends up in a drawer.

Relationships are strengthened. Relationships are understood. Knowledge becomes action.

That, to me, is the difference between analyzing an organizational network and building Organizational Relationship Intelligence.