What is Information Management? · 2015. 6. 8. · Otherwise clients will be misinformed and the...
Transcript of What is Information Management? · 2015. 6. 8. · Otherwise clients will be misinformed and the...
What is Information Management?
Information Management is the collation, organisation, maintenance and dissemination of data.
However implementing such a system, and then getting the best from it, is far from simple.
Information content can change rapidly, meanwhile systems and channels have developed
radically over the years from hard copy cataloguing in a library to electronic directories with
complex searchable classifications, viewable on PCs and mobile devices.
In your organisation you might be facing the prospect of creating a system from scratch or you
may be looking at an inherited set-up that needs overhauling. Regardless of your starting point -
the principles are the same.
The initial need
Scoping the need for an IM system, and what you expect it to do should involve as many people in
the organisation as possible. Where appropriate external users who interface with your system
should be included. This might be achieved through surveying the current system and the needs of
all stakeholders, perhaps undertaking surveys and/or forming user or test groups.
This initial stage is highly important and requires more time than might be originally anticipated. A
fully mapped out system in principle from the outset, will ensure you have the outputs you need to
fulfil the organisation’s objectives. If you intend to commission external providers, the more
information they have about your needs and the permutations within the system, the more
accurately they can determine potential timescales and costs. Time invested at this stage will pay
dividends further on in the process.
Important things to think about
1. What data do we currently hold and how is it structured?
2. What works and doesn’t work? How could it be improved?
3. Who will be using the system internally and externally? What are their needs and how will they
interrogate the system?
4. Does the information we have or are about to collate add real value? Is this content needed, or
only parts of it?
5. What are the commonalities and relationships within the data?
6. Have we got the resources to maintain the system and people with the right skill sets?
7. What reports or analytics would we want from the system?
8. How will anything new that is introduced integrate with other systems used across departments?
9. What steps could be taken to future proof the system i.e. content, format, storage, capacity etc.
10. What contingencies do we have in place should the system go down. Backup copies, restoring
previous versions etc.
11. How unique or otherwise does the system need to be? Is it ‘industry standard’ or bespoke to a
particular supplier?
Consider the big three: One: Strategy, Two: Standards, Three: Processes
and Procedures
1) Strategy
Strategy encompasses the organisation’s goals and objectives which ultimately drive IM development. However
it also includes the strategic framework that needs to be devised for the information and system itself. Both of
these aspects have a purpose and lifespan which need to be properly explored and refreshed alongside other
strategy documents.
Information is infinite and the strategic purpose must establish parameters as too much information can
overwhelm the system and the people using it. For example:
For an organisation cataloguing services supporting families one of the overriding questions might be, where are the boundaries
within the limitless data possibilities?
Provided the organisational strategy stipulates clear definitions and parameters of support then any IM developed in line with this
should be fit for purpose, easier to maintain and less likely to lose integrity and coherence.
Thus for example the organisation could define what was meant by ‘family’, enabling the information to then be confined to that
definition e.g. those households with one adult and one person aged under 18 or 21.
In this way the information will naturally become more manageable and easier to categorise once principles are
established. The IM principles established should be incorporated into the system (internally and externally) and
practiced throughout in collation and maintenance of data. For example, if you are capturing information from
services supporting families then this information needs to be kept up to date. Otherwise clients will be
misinformed and the services themselves have rights as the data subjects. The overarching principles must be
captured in your strategy to ensure adoption across all staff and platforms.
2) Standards
Standards can sometimes appear tedious however they are crucial in establishing a solid, dependable system.
Business rules should be mapped out beforehand, not on a rolling ad-hoc basis and everyone must abide by
these standards. These will include:
naming conventions
deciding how and where items are stored
devising systems/schedules for updating content
ensuring the accuracy of statements and consistency in writing style etc.
Standards are likely to dictate that information submitted externally is moderated internally to ensure the
information is consistent. For example:
For example, an organisation might work with four family planning clinics, each of which submit their service information for service users to ultimately access.
One has written a lengthy paragraph, the other two sentences. Another has stated the area they serve whilst the fourth one hasn’t.
Inconsistency creates cognitive challenges and can make it harder to categorise and process.
Consistent standards make an important difference when it comes to people using and trusting your system.
Ultimately they are an essential indicator as to whether your information is reliable, a credible source and can be
trusted and perhaps even funded.
3) Procedures and Processes
Procedures and processes capture the transition of data from input to output. They stipulate what happens to the
data coming in, how, when and by whom. For example:
A service might be inundated with information about organisations supporting families – what happens to this data? Staff processing the incoming information would benefit from having a process mapping out the steps that need to be taken. This could be divided into the sources of data coming in, the categories within it etc. Work flows could indicate the responsibilities of different people to achieve the goal of an efficient transition from input to output.
A comprehensive and sequential procedure can instruct and guide staff to adhere to the principles and
standards on which your information system depends. The implementation of tasks to deadlines and work
priorities are also vital in shaping the resources, roles and responsibilities of staff. Effective procedures will
ensure consistency and assist management of the data within delivery timeframes. In turn these will facilitate the
production of statistical data to support reporting and feedback such as Key Performance Indicators and Staff
Performance Appraisals.
What are your options?
Spreadsheet e.g. MS Excel
For most users, spreadsheet software is limited to calculations, conditional formatting, formulas and graphs.
Some users with more advanced skills can enter the realms of pivot tables, pivot reporting Visual Basic and
macros. The former is somewhat limited for large amounts of data as the architecture tends to be a flat one
consisting of numerous tabs and basic formulas to extract the data required. However, the latter makes handling
large amounts of data much easier. Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) enhances Excel’s functionality
considerably but there are some aspects which could present challenges such as its limited relational structure,
long term data storage and possibility of file corruption and the difficulty of multiple access to a single file,
overwriting content.
IT Systems
The next consideration (which could be the largest in
terms of monetary commitment) is the storage of your
organisation’s information. Whether it is something
bespoke or freeware, your other IT systems must support
and integrate with it and ultimately your staff must be
confident with using the system. Each system has pros
and cons depending on the requirements, budget and
expertise. Below is a brief overview of options to
consider.
Database software e.g. MS Access
There are two main reasons why people move away from a system such as Excel and embrace Access: one,
duplication of data and two, the need for relational data. A database like Access stores data separately from
reports and queries. This allows the user to create numerous reports from one set of data, reducing the risk of
data duplication, and also sets up the relational aspect of the database.
For example, an organisation might want to report on how many calls are placed to the helpline each month
filtering by location, gender and age. However separately they may also need more detailed information about
how quickly the call was responded to, whether the caller has contacted the service before and who referred
them to your service. These can be stored as separate queries within the database but drawn from the same
data set. Whilst a database such as MS Access has greater flexibility and capacity for data storage it must be
managed carefully to prevent it becoming unwieldy for the end user.
Customer Relationship Management System (CRM’s)
This takes information management to a much higher level and can incorporate
all your business needs such as marketing intelligence, sales leads tracking and
customer behaviour information along with integrating with other systems such
as finance, mailing management system and analytic software to name just a
few. CRMs range from inexpensive open source products to more costly
bespoke software development. Research and planning are crucial should you
wish to adopt a CRM in order to ensure it provides everything your service
needs.
Things to consider
When choosing any information management solution you must consider the following carefully:
What does and doesn’t work with your current system?
What does each department within your organisation need from an information management system?
What other systems or software is the new system required to integrate with?
Who will be accessing the system, do you need different levels of access i.e. protected areas?
How will the new system be accessed? If cloud-based you will need satisfactory broadband speed.
Data protection and security i.e. secure servers, backup measures, data encryption
How will data integrity be ensured?
Is there sufficient storage on servers?
How many users will there be as this might increase the cost of licenses and how much concurrent access
is likely to be required?
Support costs should you wish to develop the system in the future or maintain ongoing support?
Staff expertise and time allocated to learn and embed new system
Do you need an auditing trail?
Do you need to dispense with, or can it run alongside current systems? For example, you could export
data from Access into Excel to create a graphical representation.
Conclusion
This eBook takes an introductory look at information management. It’s a vast topic and like all things, every
solution will be unique to the individual requirements of each organisation.
Helplines Partnership has developed and implemented bespoke information systems for a range of non-profit
sector requirements over the years. These include:
A hard copy directory of support services for families funded by a local charity.
A leading website supporting the complex needs of disabled children as part of the Aiming High initiative
for a large local authority.
Helplines Partnership is an Information Standard Supporting Partner as we provide high quality information in
the form of our extensive Find a Helpline directory and we campaign for accessible provision of reliable quality
information.
Helplines Partnership has itself recently introduced a powerful membership data management package, linked to
our improved website and content management system. Additionally we have transitioned our core IT systems
from a hosted service to a cloud-based set-up using Microsoft Office 365 and SharePoint.
We hope this eBook has encouraged you to devise or revise, review and improve your information management
systems, strategies, standards and procedures.
Helplines Partnership has over 25 years’ experience of working in the sector and understand first-hand the
challenges and complexities that can arise. Contact us if you’d like to explore how we can provide support
tailored to your needs and/or explore and implement your requirements.
HELPLINES PARTNERSHIP
Business Design Centre
52 Upper Street
London N1 0QH UK
T 0300 330 7777
W www.helplines.org
© 2015 Helplines Partnership
Registered Company No: 6484279
Registered Charity No: 1125840