A review of the antecedents of the recent interest in social network analysis makes a case for using network information in mapping professional groups as part of the program planning process. Three major streams of theory and research have converged into a broad multidisciplinary approach to viewing social structure that is termed "network analysis"--the adoption/diffusion tradition, sociometry, and anthropology. A network analyst must first make decisions about the appropriate level of analysis, relational properties, and relational content. The planner is then in a position to begin collecting network information. Three critical considerations pertain to boundary specification, network sampling, and measurement. Three common methods of collecting network information are unobtrusive measures, observational reporting, and the network survey. Collected data must be summarized and interpreted. Network information is generally analyzed in a series of stages, including development of a visual display (sociogram), personal or ego network analysis, clique analysis, and total network analysis. Appendixes include a networks interview schedule and networks questionnaire. (YLB)