Graham is an experienced senior executive with considerable expertise in knowledge systems design, business network analysis, knowledge management theory and practice, health services management, workforce planning, and change management. He also has substantial experience as an adult trainer, having held senior instructional appointments in Australia, the USA and Canada.

Graham is researching part-time his PhD in knowledge management on the topic of ‘A Knowledge Productivity Model for the Public-Sector’ at the University of Canberra . Among other qualifications Graham has a Master of Health Administration, a Master of Knowledge Management, and a Bachelor of Science majoring in psychology.

Graham is also the immediate past Administrative Director of the ACT Drug and Alcohol Foundation , and has worked in aid settings in countries as diverse as Rwanda, Bougainville and East Timor. He has a passionate interest in Celtic music and enjoys playing bagpipes, having won titles at the state and national level, both as a soloist and as a band member. He shares with his wife an interest in fine food and wine.

You can find out more about Graham and his interests by going to his website . Graham can can be contacted by e-mail or on +61 408 075 795.

This is another presentation on Understanding the Complexity of Program Management. This time it was a truncated version given to PMOz 2008.

Understanding the Complexity of Program Management - AIM. A presentation on the Project Knowledge Model (PKM) and Business Network Analysis (BNA) and its applicability to a large Program of Projects. The presentation was given by Pat Byrne and Graham Durant-Law to the Canberra Chapter of the Australian Institute of Management (AIM).

Understanding the Complexity of Program Management . A presentation in February 2008 by Patrick Byrne and Graham Durant-Law to the Melbourne Chapter of the Project Management Institute . Just over 150 project and program managers attended the session. This was the first time we exposed our Project Knowledge Model and Business Network Analysis techniques to a public forum of our peers.

Introducing Network Analysis as a Research Technique . These are the seminar slides Graham used at Canberra University’s Inter-University Research Workshop Program , on Wednesday the 30th of January 2008. The seminar is organised into three sessions.

I bought “Social Network Analysis in Program Evaluation ” edited by Mary Durland and Kimberly Fredericks about two years ago. At the time it cost me about $90, but I note the cost is now $27 which is far more realistic. When the book arrived in the mail I was disappointed, partly because it wasn’t quite what I expected, and partly because it’s a little thin A6 publication comprising just 101 pages. All that said it is a book I often refer to, and carry around because of its size.

The book is interesting from a practitioner’s point of view because it applies, or tries to apply, network analysis techniques to program evaluation. In this sense the book is unique. The first three chapters provide a background to social network analysis, and introduce key concepts like dyads, cliques, centrality, and balance. These explanations are accurate and succinct. The discussion in Chapter One on how network analysis techniques might be used in program evaluation is particularly interesting. ...

I’ve just re-read “Social Networks and Organizations” by Professors Martin Kilduff and Wenpin Tsai . I like this book because it is an easy read, with enough detail to whet the appetite but not so much detail as to become a laborious slog. With 150 pages of succinct text it is possible to read and digest in a couple of sittings. The authors provide many examples throughout the book and point the reader to more advanced reading, but for the beginner Appendix 1 on “Getting Started on Data Analysis and Interpretation” is a must read.

As a doctoral candidate I appreciated the opening chapters which position network analysis in the research traditions, and provide some discussion on the underlying theories. Some readers might find these chapters boring, but I think there is something there for everyone. Take for example the discussion on theoretical foundations. The authors discuss graph theory without blinding the lay-person with incomprehensible mathematical formulas. They also talk about balance theory and other borrowings from psychology in simple terms. This is a constant throughout the book – the reader is gently exposed to key network concepts, debates in the literature, and possible new research directions. ...

As promised a while ago here is a review of Professor Ronald Burt’s book “Structural Holes: the Social Structure of Competition ”, which was written in 1992. This is a seminal publication and a must read for anyone interested in network theory. The book has an academic flavour but is well written, with many easy to understand examples.

Burt’s central thesis is that structural holes in business networks are very important. A structural hole is a gap between two individuals. When the two are connected through a third individual important advantages accrue for the third individual, who may employ a tertius strategy .

Burt ascribes four signature qualities of competition to his structural hole argument ...

I’ve just finished reading “Weak Links: Stabilizers of Complex Systems from Proteins to Social Networks” by Peter Csermely , who is a Professor of Biochemistry at the Semmelweis University of Budapest. The central theme is weak links are the determinants of system stability and diversity. Csermely defines a link “as 'weak', when its addition or removal does not change the mean value of a target measure at a statistically discernible way" (p. 83).

The book is an interesting read if only because its topic matter ranges from network complexity in physical systems, to biological systems, and finally social and cultural systems. Personally I think there are a few longbows drawn, but in fairness Csermely does clearly indicate where he is engaging in speculation. One fascinating discussion was the discourse on pink noise. Pink noise is also known as coloured noise, flicker noise, crackling noise and Barkhausen noise. Seemingly pink noise is present in systems as diverse as solar flares, traffic flows and group decision making, and has a stabilising or relaxing effect. Quoting several scientific sources he postulates that pink noise helps neural synchronisation, which is partly responsible for memory formation. To put it another way if you want to memorise something have Mozart playing in the background rather than bagpipes, because Mozart’s music has pink noise properties! ...

I’ve just finished reading “Net Work: A Practical Guide to Creating and Sustaining Networks at Work and in the World” by Patti Anklam , who is a recognised practitioner in network analysis circles. The central theme is we work through informal and formal networks, which may be tangible or intangible, but all have value. Her primary assumption is that all networks can be mapped. These maps serve to describe the network and provide a diagnosis of the health of the mapped entity, albeit the map is a snapshot in time. Patti’s premise is if the network can be mapped and described then the network can be managed and weaved – a premise I largely agree with, and which is an underlying assumption in my research .

"Net Work” has a five-star rating on the Amazon site and other book sites. Personally I would give it three and a half stars, as in some areas I think it a bit shallow. For example, it purports to be a practical guide but there are few examples of questions and even fewer how to examples. I also think the absence of a chapter on network measures and metrics is a major deficiency. ...