Insight 3 from Research Focus on excellence - create a sustainable, relevant service
Jinfo Blog

By Robin Neidorf

Abstract

The work of managing and optimising your department isn't secondary to customer service. It's the engine that drives the ability to deliver value to your customer over time. Jinfo's Research Focus, "Creating an Information Centre of Excellence", will help you map a path to success.

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Information Centres of Excellence treat their department operations as a business-within-the-business, a kind of in-house consultancy that empowers users throughout the organisation and brings expertise on information-related opportunities and risks to projects and planning.

Often, these mini-consultancies struggle with the same challenges as any other small or mid-sized business: you have to work ON the business, not IN the business.

The consistent worry of "we don't have time" needs to be a warning bell that something in your business needs urgent attention. If you're hearing (or saying) this, your process needs careful review and analysis, a vision for sustainability and a practical plan to get there.

This is done by building an orientation towards continuous improvement and ongoing optimisation of your operations.

The work of managing and optimising your department isn't secondary to customer service. It's the engine that drives the ability to deliver increasing value to your customer over time.

We know the current trend of "increased demands, decreased resources" is going to continue. The only way to create a sustainable, relevant information service is to fundamentally rethink what that means and how to deliver it.

Use the resources in this Research Focus, "Creating an Information Centre of Excellence", and be inspired by teams that already have made this shift, then learn how to work ON your business. 

It's an exciting and rewarding journey. Create your own roadmap for it with Jinfo.

Resources relating to this insight:

Articles

• Work ON the business not IN the business
• Q&A with GSK - seamless access to global data
• Components of a business (part 1 - design, delivery and customer relations)
• Components of a business (part 2 - partners, evaluation and continuous improvement)
• Jinfo survey on developing an Information Centre of Excellence (part 2 - tools and partnerships)
• Practical tips on evolving to a Centre of Excellence

Reports

• Jinfo model - components of a business
• Jinfo survey on developing an Information Centre of Excellence

Webinars

• Optimisation as the engine of Information Centre Excellence, 27th June

Contact us about Jinfo Consulting, particularly our workshop on "Do better with less: workflow optimisation". We'll review your environment and adapt our proven curriculum to meet the needs of your team. Flexible delivery methods make this an efficient and effective way to build new skills without undue interruption of ongoing work.

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