The problems of managing information affect us all in our roles as creators and consumers of information. For example,
- We spend time searching files and directories for information we need, which must be there somewhere… we did save it, didn’t we?
- We are left ‘on hold’ as customer service staff mutter about ‘the computer being slow today’ as it searches through vast databases.
- We are frustrated when we learn companies are holding incorrect information about us.
- We log into email accounts with a sense of dread as we see how many unread emails demand our attention.
- We become overwhelmed by the amount of information demanding our attention as the ‘pending pile’ slides nearer the waste bin.
- We gasp in astonishment at news headlines such as ‘confidential patient records found in skip’ and ‘military laptop left on train’.
In the workplace we battle with the information systems that are meant to help us do our jobs, and perhaps fear that it is only a matter of time before we become the subject of such headlines.
In this blog, I aim to highlight the challenges organizations must address to manage information effectively using contemporary examples. I also aim to provide practical guidance on how we as individuals can contribute to improving information management in our organizations.
This blog supports my book, Managing Information in Organizations: A Practical Guide to Implementing an Information Management Strategy published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2014 http://www.palgrave.com/products/title.aspx?pid=502240
The book contains a number of case study scenarios and practical advice, with additional material accessible online via QR codes. This blog supplements the material in my book by reflecting on current issues from an information management perspective. The blog is aimed at everyone who frustrated by problems caused by poor information management, in addition to students and practitioners of information management.