Network Clustering Coefficient

A measure of how interconnected a node's neighbors are with each other—the probability that two of your contacts know each other. High clustering means your network is a tight-knit group where everyone knows everyone (strong bonds, high trust, but limited new information). Low clustering means your contacts don't know each other—you're the bridge between separate worlds (weaker bonds but access to diverse, non-redundant information). Granovetter's 'strength of weak ties' and Burt's 'structural holes' both describe the value of LOW clustering—bridging positions between dense clusters.

When to use it

When evaluating whether your network provides information diversity or echo-chamber reinforcement; when building strategic network position for brokerage or innovation; when designing organizational structures and deciding how much inter-team connection to engineer; when assessing whether team composition provides sufficient cognitive diversity.

How it can help

Assess your network's clustering coefficient intuitively: do your contacts mostly know each other (high clustering) or are they from different, unconnected worlds (low clustering)? For maximum information diversity and brokerage opportunity: deliberately maintain connections across multiple unconnected clusters. The strategic balance: enough high-clustering connections for trust and support (your inner circle), enough low-clustering connections for novel information and bridging opportunities (your boundary-spanning ties). Most people over-invest in high-clustering networks and under-invest in bridges.