MIS Assignment 9: Information Environment
{ Posted on 7:06 AM
by Ariel Serenado
}
For this assignment we are tasked to identify an Information Environment. Let us first be acquainted with what is Information Environment. The production of information is on the increase and ways to deal with this effectively are required. There is the need to ensure that quality of information is not lost amongst masses of digital data created everyday. If we can continue to improve the management, interrogation an serving ‘quality’ information, there is huge potential to enhance knowledge creation across learning and research communities. The aim of the information environment is to help provide convenient access to resources for research and learning through the use of resource discovery and resource management tools and the development of better services and practice. The Information Environment ails to allow discovery, access and use of resources for research and learning irrespective of their location.
By knowing Information Environment, I have chosen the E-Infrastructure as an information environment. Actually, this kind of information environment is under The Research Infrastructures part of the FP7 Capacities Programme, this supports an innovative way of conducting scientific research (referred to as e-science) by the creation environment for academic and industrial research in which virtual communities share, federate and exploit the collective power of European scientific facilities.
The term e-infrastructure refers to this new research environment in which all researchers – whether working in the context of their home institutions or in national or multinational scientific initiatives – have shared access to unique or distributed scientific facilities (including data, instruments, computing and communications), regardless of their type and locations in the world. The e-infrastructure activity will extend and reinforce the high capacity communication infrastructure; strengthen multidisciplinary grid and supercomputing infrastructures; expand scientific data infrastructure; encourage the adoption of e-infrastructure by an increasing number of user communities; stimulate new organizational models; and support the construction of new computation and data treatment facilities. Specifically, e-infrastructure aims to improve the capacity of he sector to manage, discover the use of information resources. This will be achieved by delivering a range of benefits to the sector that align with the general benefits, these are the following:
If I’ll get myself involved in such environment, I’ll be doing my roles that I must bear to satisfy the aim of this environment. One role that I will be possessing is the role to improve information management practices, because this is a key focus for many organizations, across both the public and private sector. Information environment is, however, much more than just technology. Equally importantly, it is about the business processes and practices that underpin the creation and use of information. Another role is develop guidelines for description and build systems that do a better job of supporting the information-seeking tasks of users; to be aware complexity of certain organizations, thus provide some necessary actions to overcome challenges in terms of planning and implementing any projects. Of course, these roles I have mentioned will not be perfectly done by my intellectual properties only, I have to adheres some options, ways and means in order to satisfy these roles. With this demand, the principles of Information Organization and representation is of big help to realize the roles I must posses.
- Enhanced capacity, knowledge and skills to enable positive and informed change in the sector
- Guidance to the sector on ‘best practice’ models for using technology that can be used at departmental, institutional, regional or national levels
- Strategic leadership to the sector and the other bodies in specialist areas to influence national and international agendas
- Knowledge and experience as a basis for future funding decisions
- New or enhanced services, infrastructure, standards or applications that may be used at departmental, institutional, regional or national levels
If I’ll get myself involved in such environment, I’ll be doing my roles that I must bear to satisfy the aim of this environment. One role that I will be possessing is the role to improve information management practices, because this is a key focus for many organizations, across both the public and private sector. Information environment is, however, much more than just technology. Equally importantly, it is about the business processes and practices that underpin the creation and use of information. Another role is develop guidelines for description and build systems that do a better job of supporting the information-seeking tasks of users; to be aware complexity of certain organizations, thus provide some necessary actions to overcome challenges in terms of planning and implementing any projects. Of course, these roles I have mentioned will not be perfectly done by my intellectual properties only, I have to adheres some options, ways and means in order to satisfy these roles. With this demand, the principles of Information Organization and representation is of big help to realize the roles I must posses.
Now, as I go over the internet I have known the principles of information management, I think these are most likely similar with information organization. We all know that an information management encompasses people, process, technology and content. Each of these must be addresses if information organization projects are to succeed. Here are the principles:
- Recognize (and manage) complexity
- Focus on adoption
- Deliver tangible and visible benefits
- Prioritize according to business needs
- Take the journey of a thousand steps
- Provide a strong leadership
- Mitigate risks
- Communicate extensively
- Aim to deliver a seamless user experience
- Choose the first project very carefully
With the first one which is to recognize (and manage) complexity, we all know for the fact that organizations are very complex environment in which to deliver concrete solutions. With these principle it will help my role to be perform correctly by way of fully centralizing information management activities, to ensure that every activity is tightly controlled and by way of rolling out rigid, standardized solutions across whole organization, even though individual business areas may have different needs. In practice, however, there is no way of avoiding the inherent complexities within organizations. New approaches to information management must therefore be found that recognize (and manage) this complexity. Risks must then be identified and mitigated throughout the project, to ensure that organizational complexities do not prevent the delivery of effective solutions.
In practice, most information management systems need the active participation of staff throughout the organization, this is the implication of the second principle. Staff must save all the key files into the document/records management system; front-line staff must capture call details in the customer relationship management system. In all these cases, the challenges is to gain the sufficient adoption to ensure that the required information is captured by the system. Without a critical mass of usage, corporate repositories will not contain enough information to be useful. This may include:
- Identifying the ‘what’s in it for me’ factors for end users of the system
- Communicating clearly to all staff the purpose and benefits of the project
- Carefully targeting initial projects to build momentum for the project
- Conducting extensive change management and cultural change activities throughout the project.
- Ensuring that the systems that are deployed are useful and usable for the staff.
Another principle implies that delivering tangible benefits involves identifying concrete Business needs that must be met. This allows meaningful measurement of the impact of the projects on the operation of the organization. As involved in an information environment such as e-infrastructure one’s implementations should target issues or needs that are very visible within the organization. When the solutions are delivered, the improvement should be obvious, and widely promoted throughout the organization. For example, improving the information available to call centre staff can have a very visible and tangible impact on customer service. Another principle that can help in possessing my role in the environment that I have chosen is to prioritize according to business needs. It can be difficult to where to start when planning information management projects. While some organization attempt to prioritize projects according to the ‘simplicity’ of the technology to de deployed, this is not a meaningful approach. In particular, this often doesn’t deliver short-term benefits that are tangible and visible. Instead of this technology-driven approach<>
Also, mitigate risks is also an important principle that help posses the role. Due to the inherent complexity of the environment within organizations, there are many risks in implementing information management solutions. These risks include:
- Selecting an inappropriate technology solution
- Time and budget overruns
- Changing business requirements
- Technical issues, particularly relating to integrating systems
- Failure to gain adoption by staff
At the outset of planning an information management strategy, the risks should be clearly identified. An approach must then be identified for each risk, either avoiding or mitigating the risk. Risk management approaches should then be used to plan all aspects of the project, including the activities conducted and the budget spent. To communicate extensively is also a big help in possessing my roles in the information environment I have chosen. Extensive communication from the project team is critical for a successful information management initiative. This communication ensures that staffs have a clear understanding of the project, and the benefits it will deliver. This is a pre-requisite for achieving the required level of adoption.
For all these reasons, the first step in an information management project should be to develop a clear communications ‘message’. This should then be supported by a communications plan that describes target audiences, and methods of communication. Project teams should also consider establishing a ‘project site’ on the intranet as the outset, to provide a location for planning documents, news releases, and other updates. Above all, when one is engaging himself’/herself in an information environment, one must take into account the principle that would affect the entire engagement activities of the information environment. The principle I am talking about is choosing a project very carefully.
The choice of conduct projects is part of broader information management strategy is critical. This project must be selected carefully, to ensure that it:
• demonstrates the value of the information management strategy
• builds momentum for future activities
• generates interest and enthusiasm from both end-users and stakeholders
• delivers tangible and visible benefits
• addresses an important or urgent business need
• can be clearly communicated to staff and stakeholders
• assists the project team in gaining further resources and support
Actions speak louder than words. The project is the single best (and perhaps only) opportunity to set the organization on the right path towards better information management practices and technologies. Te project must therefore be chosen according to its ability to act as a ‘catalyst’ for further organizational and cultural changes. In practice, this often involves starting with one problem or one area of the business that the organization as a whole would be interested in, and cares about. For example, starting by restructuring the corporate policies and procedures will generate little interest or enthusiasm. In contrast, delivering a system that greatly assists salespeople in the field would be something that could be widely promoted throughout the organization.
In practice, challenges have never turned its way. Challenges encompass once facing the roles in an information environment. Organizations are confronted with many information management problems and issues. In many ways, the growth of electronic information (rather than paper) has only worsened these issues over the last decade or two.
Common challenges that might occur in performing such roles within the e-infrastructure as an information environment.
• Large number of disparate information management systems.
• Little integration or coordination between information systems.
• Range of legacy systems requiring upgrading or replacement.
• Direct competition between information management systems.
• No clear strategic direction for the overall technology environment.
• Limited and patchy adoption of existing information systems by staff.
• Poor quality of information, including lack of consistency, duplication, and out-of-date information.
• Little recognition and support of information management by senior management.
• Limited resources for deploying, managing or improving information systems.
• Lack of enterprise-wide definitions for information types and values (no corporate-wide taxonomy).
• Large number of diverse business needs and issues to be addressed.
• Lack of clarity around broader organizational strategies and directions.
• Difficulties in changing working practices and processes of staff.
• Internal politics impacting on the ability to coordinate activities enterprise-wide.
For all these reasons, the first step in an information management project should be to develop a clear communications ‘message’. This should then be supported by a communications plan that describes target audiences, and methods of communication. Project teams should also consider establishing a ‘project site’ on the intranet as the outset, to provide a location for planning documents, news releases, and other updates. Above all, when one is engaging himself’/herself in an information environment, one must take into account the principle that would affect the entire engagement activities of the information environment. The principle I am talking about is choosing a project very carefully.
The choice of conduct projects is part of broader information management strategy is critical. This project must be selected carefully, to ensure that it:
• demonstrates the value of the information management strategy
• builds momentum for future activities
• generates interest and enthusiasm from both end-users and stakeholders
• delivers tangible and visible benefits
• addresses an important or urgent business need
• can be clearly communicated to staff and stakeholders
• assists the project team in gaining further resources and support
Actions speak louder than words. The project is the single best (and perhaps only) opportunity to set the organization on the right path towards better information management practices and technologies. Te project must therefore be chosen according to its ability to act as a ‘catalyst’ for further organizational and cultural changes. In practice, this often involves starting with one problem or one area of the business that the organization as a whole would be interested in, and cares about. For example, starting by restructuring the corporate policies and procedures will generate little interest or enthusiasm. In contrast, delivering a system that greatly assists salespeople in the field would be something that could be widely promoted throughout the organization.
In practice, challenges have never turned its way. Challenges encompass once facing the roles in an information environment. Organizations are confronted with many information management problems and issues. In many ways, the growth of electronic information (rather than paper) has only worsened these issues over the last decade or two.
Common challenges that might occur in performing such roles within the e-infrastructure as an information environment.
• Large number of disparate information management systems.
• Little integration or coordination between information systems.
• Range of legacy systems requiring upgrading or replacement.
• Direct competition between information management systems.
• No clear strategic direction for the overall technology environment.
• Limited and patchy adoption of existing information systems by staff.
• Poor quality of information, including lack of consistency, duplication, and out-of-date information.
• Little recognition and support of information management by senior management.
• Limited resources for deploying, managing or improving information systems.
• Lack of enterprise-wide definitions for information types and values (no corporate-wide taxonomy).
• Large number of diverse business needs and issues to be addressed.
• Lack of clarity around broader organizational strategies and directions.
• Difficulties in changing working practices and processes of staff.
• Internal politics impacting on the ability to coordinate activities enterprise-wide.
Source:
http://www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_effectiveim
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ict/e-infrastructure/
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