Jinfo: Jinfo for information strategy

Jinfo for information strategy
Jinfo Blog

28th October 2016

Abstract

What are the big questions of 2017 for information managers? Jinfo's director of research, Robin Neidorf, highlights three key themes that should be on your list for next year's strategic planning.

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For many information managers, this time of year involves strategic planning. What will be the big projects of 2017? What anticipated changes may impact how we move information forwards and build its value within the business?

These are big questions, and they can be both daunting and exciting to consider.

Based on the dozens of conversations we at Jinfo have with information managers on a regular basis, these are the most consistent themes for 2017 strategic planning:

How do we move into a "data-first" world? It's no accident that our current Research Focus is, "Data analytics - ready your information service" (view the resources published to date here). We know that a shift from product orientation to data orientation is underway; the speed at which it hits your organisation will depend on a myriad of factors. Now is the time to build up knowledge and develop a strategy for ensuring the unique expertise of information professionals is part of your organisation's data strategy.
Do our services meet the needs of today's users? User preferences and behaviours today are very different from those of 5 or 10 years ago. We see (and help) many information teams take a hard look at what they offer and re-engineer them for new patterns and needs. Information strategy is increasingly aimed at enabling self-service, improving automation, enhancing mobile access, supporting just-in-time needs, and measuring value by something other than database usage (which is decreasing in many product categories).
What skills do information professionals need for the future? Along with the first two points, most information managers are analysing existing and needed skill sets, and creating development plans that consider both hard skills (such as data science, analytics, and programming) as well as soft skills (such as consulting, collaboration and presentation).

Information strategy requires a clear head, a creative mind and external stimulus to spur ideas. Get inspiration to challenge and shape your thinking from the results of our Research Focus projects completed so far in 2016.

You can download these reports from MyJinfo if you have a current subscription, or complete the request forms for any of the reports you'd like to receive at no cost:

Recent Subscription Content of particular interest to our customers involved with information strategy:

Articles:

Reports:

Webinars - recordings available to view for anyone with a Jinfo Subscription

Upcoming research and events

The current Research Focus, "Data analytics - ready your information service" runs from October - December and offers practical insight on strategic positioning of your expertise within the burgeoning world of data analytics.

The next Research Focus, "Developing an information-savvy workforce through strategic alignments", will run from January - March 2017. Leverage relationships with such areas of the business as HR, training, IT and business units to embed a higher level of skill right where most information work is taking place -- on the desktops of end users. Develop an effective strategy for workforce development, instead of struggling to get staff to come to training sessions or demos.

Webinars:

Keep an eye on the webinar listings page for 2017 dates as they're released.

Community sessions:

Keep an eye on the Community sessions listings page for 2017 dates as they're released.

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