Information Audit as a Holistic Approach: A Case Study Emily A. Langley Miller Brewing Company June 10, 2003

Agenda Project Background Audit Design and Methodologies Results and Conclusions

Project Background Audit Design and Methodologies Results and Conclusions

Situational Analysis Businesses are dependent upon information for success Information exists in various forms and places –Databases –Filing cabinets –Employee hard-drives –Reports –Journals –People

Situational Analysis Businesses are dependent upon information for success Information exists in various forms and places –Databases –Filing cabinets –Employee hard-drives –Reports –Journals –People

Perspective Library and Information Science holds key to successful management of information Common Limiting Beliefs –Librarians shelve books –Librarians manage the library –Librarians separate from core business –Librarians lack technology expertise Information Specialists (a.k.a. librarians) information management –Expertise information management analyze organizational information –Systematically analyze organizational information needs –Designsystems –Design information systems –Lead –Lead cross functional team

“information warehousing and communication” In 2001 Miller Brewing Company’s Brewing Research and Quality Assurance Division sought to improve “information warehousing and communication” processes

Team Objectives ImproveInformationWarehousingandCommunication Assess Current Information Management Practices Define Customer Requirements Contribute to the Division’s Knowledge Management Strategy Gain Insight into Perceived Barriers to Access Identify Information Needs

Establishing Direction Discussions - Information seeking behaviors - Information organization - User focused systems design - Reviewed Research collect - An Information Audit provided a means to collect the data the data to necessary to meet our objectives cannot - Customer needs cannot be separated from the information source - Avoid segmented approach Conclusions

Holistic Approach ?? Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines holistic asMerriam-Webster's Dictionary defines holistic as: –“relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts” Team to develop an understanding of relationships –Creation –Seeking –Organization –Storage –Retrieval –Dissemination

What is an Information Audit? Dr. Jay Liebowitz: –“By discovering what knowledge is possessed, it is then possible to find the most effective method of storage and dissemination. It can then be used as the basis for evaluating the extent to which change needs to be introduced to the organization ” Susan Henczel: –“a tool that can be used to not only identify strategically significant information resources, but to also identify those tasks and activities that create knowledge and those that rely on the transfer of knowledge from other areas of the organisation” No agreed upon definition Liebowitz, Jay, Rubenstein-Montano, Bonnie, McCaw, Doug, Buchwalter, Judah, and Browning, Chuck The Knowledge Audit. Knowledge and Process Management, 7(1), Henczel, Susan. The Information Audit as a First Step Towards Effective Knowledge Management: an Opportunity For The Special Librarian. Inspel 34(2000)3/4,

Information Audit Objectives  Determine the following:  Inventory information types  Assess if information and systems supported strategic operations  Determine importance of data/information generated  Understand relationships between data, information and systems  Identify gaps  Quality information  Systems  Processes  Map information flows  Issue recommendations

Audit Design and Methodologies Project Background Audit Design and Methodologies Results and Conclusions

Issues to be Resolved Who will conduct the audit? - External Consultants - Team How to collect the data? Team QuestionnaireInterviews - Observation - Systems Usage - Focus Groups - Questionnaires - Interviews

Data Collection Tool Design Questionnaire - Easy to use - Clear instructions - Length Interview - Structured style - Training for team - Practice Question Design Avoid Bias Pilot

Data Collection 100% response rateNear 100% response rate required Announcement by Division Head –Objectives of audit –Benefits to participants –Importance of project –Deadline for completion Questionnaire Cover letter Interviews

Data Analysis How much data did we collect? Team member strengths: –Statistical analysis –Graphical representation of data –Organization of information Basis for recommendations Vision of future state

Results and Conclusions Project Background Audit Design and Methodologies Results and Conclusions

Results 96%96% response rate 22.7Average 22.7 percent of time seeking information AND...

Needs Identified Internal Information External Information Common format & process – Capture – Organization Central repository  Searchable  Easy to use  Web based  Integration  Information  Data  Systems  Who is the expert? Additional Resources - Industry and market trends  Current Awareness  Technical support  Competitive intelligence

Recommendations Increase IT Capability & Build the Infrastructure Develop processes and procedures Increase promotion and training Increase Information Center Services and Resources House internal information Make information easily accessible Facilitate collaborative processes Capture Organize Better disseminate Current resources Current technology Electronic delivery Web access Increase Current Awareness

What’s Happened Since Improved and Customized Library services Support to Enterprise initiatives –Intranet –Knowledge Management

Critical Success Factors Visible support from executive management Communication of objectives and benefits Representation from all stakeholder groups Understanding design principles for data collection tools Piloting the questionnaire and interview Considering people in every step of the process

Conclusion Information Audit provides: –Means to gather data –Basis for strategic decision making Library and Information Science provide a foundation to: –Manage all types of information –Define information requirements –Identify solutions to fill customer needs

Acknowledgements Information Warehousing and Communication Team : Bernardo Alatorre Patricia Bower Dick Duncombe John Engel Cyndy Gant Ray Kanzleiter Karen Krey Emily Langley Aki Murakami Troy Rysewyk Yue Zhou Thank You for Additional Support to for Additional Support to : John Seabrooks David Ryder