Bringing Hidden Connections to Light: Using Social Network Analysis to Improve Decision-Making and Collaboration in Flood Mitigation Construction

Social Network Analysis (SNA) provides a method to quantitatively analyze relationships among diverse stakeholders in infrastructure projects. Using a flood mitigation project as a case study in Malaysia, this study demonstrates how SNA can be applied to evaluate and compare communication and collaboration patterns in real and simulated stakeholder networks. The simulated network was developed by introducing additional stakeholder roles, such as Landscape Architect, Urban Planner, Innovative Research Collaborators, and Environmental Consultant, to explore their potential impact on collaboration and decision-making dynamics. Adjacency matrices were constructed from site meeting records to capture stakeholder interactions and decision-making dynamics. The network structures were analyzed using Gephi software, which calculates key metrics such as density, centralization, clustering coefficients, and modularity. Visual representations of the networks were generated to highlight stakeholder roles and collaboration pathways. The analysis reveals distinct similarities and differences between the real and simulated networks across all key SNA measures. These metrics provide valuable insights into stakeholder integration, collaboration patterns, and decision-making efficiency within the flood mitigation project. Village Head experienced the highest increase in degree centrality, enhancing engagement with project goals and ensuring local needs were better represented. These measures demonstrate their potential to refine adaptive decision processes and foster cross-sectoral cooperation. SNA serves as an effective method for quantitatively mapping interaction patterns, revealing nuances in stakeholder engagement and coordination. This approach offers actionable insights to improve decision-making, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and support sustainable outcomes in infrastructure and flood mitigation projects.