Newsletter No. 171
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FreePint
"Helping 70,000 people use the Web for their work"
http://www.freepint.com/
ISSN 1460-7239 11th November 2004 No.171
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ALTERNATIVE NEWSLETTER FORMATS AVAILABLE AT:
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/111104.htm>
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IN THIS ISSUE
-------------
GUEST EDITORIAL
by Katherine Allen
MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES
By Bill Raschen
FREEPINT BAR
In Association with Factiva
a Dow Jones & Reuters Company
JOBS
Corporate Finance Researcher
Business Analyst / Researcher
Knowledge Co-ordinator
TIPS ARTICLE
"How to Improve your Business Writing"
By Rob Ashton
BOOKSHELF
"Web Search Garage"
By Tara Calishain
Reviewed by Caryn Wesner-Early
FEATURE ARTICLE
"Information Auditing: Key Concepts and How To Get Started"
By Steve Wood
EVENTS, GOLD AND FORTHCOMING ARTICLES
CONTACT INFORMATION
ONLINE VERSION WITH ACTIVATED HYPERLINKS
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/111104.htm>
FULLY FORMATTED VERSION
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/111104.pdf>
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** PLANNING YOUR NEXT CAREER MOVE? CILIP CAN HELP **
We can support you all the way through from university to your next
plum job. We're one of the biggest organisations for information
professionals in the world. Here for you and thousands like you.
Helping you stay informed and employable. Want to find out more? Just
email your contact details to findoutmore@cilip.org.uk and add
'FreePint' for a special discount on your first year's subscription.
Or visit <http://www.cilip.org.uk/freepintoffer> for more information.
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*** NEW: Information Auditing: A guide for information managers" ***
ISBN: 1-904769-08-X
This in-depth report is published today
by FreePint. Find out more at:
<http://www.freepint.com/shop/report/>
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*** ABOUT FREEPINT ***
FreePint is an online network of information searchers. Members
receive this free newsletter twice a month: it is packed with tips
on finding quality and reliable business information on the Internet.
Joining is free at <http://www.freepint.com/> and provides access to
a substantial archive of articles, reviews, jobs & events, with
answers to research questions and networking at the FreePint Bar.
Please circulate this newsletter which is best read when printed out.
To receive a fully formatted version as an attachment or a brief
notification when it's online, visit <http://web.freepint.com/>.
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GUEST EDITORIAL
by Katherine Allen
With Online Information a little over two weeks away it's a very busy
time for all of us on the event organising team, but I've been an
enthusiastic reader of FreePint for years and so I was really honoured
when William asked me to provide the first ever Guest Editorial.
The invitation made me think back over the years that I've been
reading FreePint. I have a confession to make -- I always print out my
copy and read it on the train. This method of 'consumption' suits the
particular need that I have for the information that FreePint
provides. It's all about matching user needs, a subject explored
further in a new report on information auditing published today
<http://www.freepint.com/shop/report/>.
Report author Steve Wood gives you a taster of how to get started with
an information audit in his article in this issue. Getting senior
management buy-in is one of the golden rules to ensure the success of
any information management initiative, and effective communication is
key to securing this. Also in this issue, Rob Ashton's article 'How to
improve your business writing' provides useful practical pointers and
reminders that we would all do well to bear in mind.
I was struck this week by a profile of Douglas Engelbart which
appeared in Business Week Online. You may not have heard of Engelbart
-- he invented the computer mouse and was a pioneer of the graphical
user interface. He is now 78 and still working and innovating. What
impressed me was Engelbart's observation that in the modern world
human beings find it hard to keep up with the increased complexity of
the problems we face, and technology on its own isn't the answer.
In recent years, information delivery has been transformed by
remarkable technological innovations and changes in consumer habits.
However, there is no substitute for the hands-on experience that you
get in the 'face-to-face' environment of a conference and exhibition
like Online Information. You can try out products, ask tricky
questions, and meet customer service teams. You can network with peers
and associations, learn new skills at seminars, and get a sense of
where the industry is headed in the year ahead at the conference. Like
the computer mouse, it's simple and incredibly effective. I look
forward to meeting you at the show and hope that it, as with this
issue of FreePint, matches your user needs.
Katherine Allen
Director Information Division
VNU Exhibitions Europe
Online Information 2004 :- More information and free exhibition
tickets are available at <http://www.online-information.co.uk>.
FreePint is a Registered Trademark of Free Pint Limited (R) 1997-2004
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>>Online Information Exhibition FREE visitor pre-registration<<
30 Nov - 2 Dec 2004, Olympia, London, UK
The world's no. 1 event for information content and information
management solutions - over 250 exhibitors, case-studies, independent
masterclasses, networking events, careers talks and panel debates.
<http://www.online-information.co.uk>
PLUS Conference discounts available to association members!
<http://www.online-information.co.uk/ol04/conf_prog/conf_prog.html>
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*** VIP compares Dialog NewsRoom to Factiva and LexisNexis ***
Following the recent Factiva / LexisNexis comparative
review, the current VIP compares them both with Dialog:
<http://www.vivavip.com/>
"What better editorial team could there be than the people behind
FreePint to report on products and news in the information market!"
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MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES
By Bill Raschen
* I use <http://www.intranetjournal.com> for keeping up to date with
Intranet developments. The tutorials are also well worth checking
out.
* The CSS site <http://www.csszengarden.com/> demonstrates some
amazing use of stylesheets for web site design.
* I use <http://www.digital-creativity.org.uk/> for its excellent
'Photoshop' tutorials. Strongly recommended for bolstering your
graphics skills.
* The Astronomy Picture of the Day site
<http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html> is an essential
lunchtime bookmark - even if you have no knowledge or great love of
astronomy.
* SolStation <http://www.solstation.com/> gives details on nearby
stars. The site also has 3D star maps, invaluable should you get
lost within 50 light years of Earth.
Bill Raschen is an Information Professional and Web designer whose
experience has included project managing and managing intranets for
large organizations.
Submit your top five favourite Web sites. See the guidelines at
<http://www.freepint.com/author.htm>.
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Introducing MINT - a fresh approach to company information
from Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing
To register for a FREE trial visit <http://www.mintbusinessinfo.com>
Companies, news, industry research and directors in a single
easy to use information database for research,
sales, marketing and business development professionals.
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*** How do YOU use DigBig? ***
"What a fantastic service! One URL was 843 characters
and the new one is 23 -- 97% shorter! Makes it a lot
easier for people to go to the link. Thanks!" Realtor
Read how other people use DigBig
to shorten long Web addresses:
<http://www.digbig.com/testimonial.html>
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FREEPINT BAR
In Association with Factiva
a Dow Jones & Reuters Company
We are looking forward to the end of the month -- it's our annual
face-to-face meet up with FreePinters at the Online Information show
in London <http://www.online-information.co.uk/>. Although it's a busy
few days, it's not really the place to go to get answers to really
specific research questions -- that's when you need to go to the Bar.
FreePint is serving up some 50,000 pages per day now, so it's
certainly busy there too.
Information professionals will be the main contingent at Online
Information, as they are at the Bar. There are currently enquiries
about text retrieval software and alternatives to DBTextworks/Inmagic
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b30539>. Do you know of a Web site or
publication that lists company filing requirements for EU countries?
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b30531>. What about details of STM
publishers in Spain and France? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b30528>.
Staying within the EU, you might be interested in a report on the
digital preservation of scientific research
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b30494>.
A brand new report is published today by FreePint on Information
Auditing <http://www.freepint.com/shop/report/>, and the excellent
Internet Resources Newsletter (IRN) is available for November
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b30471>. FreePint's sister company Willco
<http://www.willco.com/> is proud to provide support to IRN by
distributing the email edition of the newsletter.
Can you add to the excellent suggestions for alternative library
classification systems to Dewey? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b30430>.
Or can you help someone wanting to take an overview course in KM and
IT? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b30472>.
Remember to check out the VIP Wire regularly <http://www.vivavip.com/>
for the latest information-related press releases, or sign up to the
weekly Wire Digest. Also, if you're associated with a company or
organisation in the information industry, then make sure to post your
press releases at the Wire.
On to more general questions, and do you know of an aggregated
newsfeed on mobile phone-related topics?
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b30546>. Have you used Google's 'Search
Appliance'? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b30529>. Any views (and there
are already a number) on one FreePinter's wish to start a mailing list
service? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b30284>.
A student would like some input to their dissertation on the opinions
of young people in regard to copyright laws, (e.g. when downloading
music) <http://www.freepint.com/go/s4257>. What about whether loyalty
schemes actually improve loyalty? <http://www.freepint.com/go/s4251>.
A student is daunted by the online document for NHS ethical approval
-- has anyone already worked their way through it?
<http://www.freepint.com/go/s4250>. Finally, a postgrad studying for
an MSc in Information and KM at Loughborough would like some advice on
mapping out a career, either in the UK, Hong Kong or Macau
<http://www.freepint.com/go/s4249>.
It's great to see things picking up at the Student Bar after the
summer lull. I would urge students on information and business-related
courses to make the most of the Student Bar
<http://www.freepint.com/student/> as it's a great way to tap in to
the extensive experience of the FreePint community. If you run a
course then do request a pack of free FreePint beermats
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b28933>.
William Hann <william.hann@freepint.com>
Founder and Managing Editor, FreePint
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The FreePint Bar is where you can get free help with your tricky
research questions <http://www.freepint.com/bar>
Help with study for information-related courses is available at the
FreePint Student Bar <http://www.freepint.com/student>.
Twice-weekly email digests of the latest postings can be requested
at <http://web.freepint.com/>.
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>>> SIGN UP TO FACTIVA'S NEWSLETTER <<<
Keep up to date on Factiva and information industry trends by signing
up for the free InfoPro Alliance newsletter. This monthly email will
provide you with tips on how to better use Factiva, more information
about Factiva sources, and link you to other items of interest to
global information professionals.
Go to <http://www.factiva.com/infopro/register> and sign up today!
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*** FreePint at Online Information 2004 ***
Come and meet the FreePint team at the Online Information exhibition
and conference at London's Olympia, November 30th - December 2nd.
For free exhibition tickets and to find out more, visit:
<http://www.online-information.co.uk>
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FREEPINT JOBS
<http://www.freepint.com/jobs>
The FreePint Jobs Update is being circulated widely every two
weeks. This free newsletter now has 2,000 direct subscribers and
is posted at the Bar and in the Bar Digest (circulation 12,000).
To see the Jobs Update No.84 and read the new 'Jobs Advice' section,
visit <http://www.freepint.com/go/b30502>. To subscribe, modify your
account at <http://web.freepint.com>.
Fully-formatted PDF version available at:
http://web.freepint.com/jobs/FreePint-Jobs-Update-84.pdf
Here are some of the latest featured jobs:
Corporate Finance Researcher
Great job for junior with knowledge of company structures & some
online experience, accountancy firm, Birmingham, GBP22k.
Recruiter: Sue Hill Recruitment
<http://www.freepint.com/go/j3623>
Business Analyst / Researcher
Business Researcher/Analyst with strong accounting / financial
modelling and report writing skills for newly created vacancy.
Recruiter: Glen Recruitment
<http://www.freepint.com/go/j3645>
Knowledge co-ordinator
Assistant to work with our Global Knowledge Manager to further
develop a knowledge service for the Enterprise IG network.
Recruiter: Enterprise IG
<http://www.freepint.com/go/j3646>
NB: There are 39 other jobs in the current edition of the Jobs Update
<http://www.freepint.com/go/30502>.
[The above jobs are paid listings]
FreePint Jobs -- the best place for information vacancies.
* VACANCY SEARCHING -- Free search and sign up to the Job Update.
* VACANCY RECRUITING -- Complete the form and advertise a vacancy
for GBP195 <http://www.freepint.com/jobs/submit/overview.php3>.
50% discount for registered charities. 10% discount for agencies.
Find out more today at <http://www.freepint.com/jobs>
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*** New UK company products to be reviewed in VIP ***
This month's issue of VIP will review two new important company
information products - CompanyQuery from CorpfinWorldWide and Bureau
van Dijk's MINT. Where appropriate, comparisons will be made between
CompanyQuery and FAME. December's VIP will examine and review
Business Monitor Online.
<http://www.vivavip.com/>
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*** Email newsletter and forum hosting ***
Willco provides support to many companies and
organisations in the information world to help them
distribute email newsletters and run online forums.
Find out more about the benefits and read testimonials at:
<http://www.willco.com/>
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TIPS ARTICLE
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/111104.htm#tips>
"How to Improve your Business Writing"
By Rob Ashton
Do you remember those 1980s print ads for shorthand and secretarial
training? They featured an illustration of a pen scrawling words onto
a notebook, the copy reading something like, 'If yu cn rd ths, yu cd b
on yr wy to a new jb'. Secretarial shorthand was, and still is, a
recognised business skill. But recently both business leaders and
various media items have expressed concern over more modern shortcuts
in business writing.
The voice of British business, the CBI, recently voiced unease about
literacy standards in UK companies. Their annual CBI-Pertemps
employment trends survey (Sept 2004) revealed that 33 per cent of
firms found that they needed to give school-leavers basic training in
literacy and numeracy over the past twelve months
<http://www.cbi.org.uk>.
Employers spend over GBP 23bn each year on training, and the CBI
research shows this amount is rising every year. Digby Jones, CBI
Director- General said: 'Too many school leavers are failing to make
the business grade. A fundamental working knowledge of English and
Maths provides a vital foundation for every day-to-day business task.
But the education system is letting down many young people and leaving
them unprepared for the world of work.'
A Text Too Far
--------------
Although some blame a general slip in educational standards, progress
in technology can also be a factor. Computer spell- and
grammar-checkers, although useful tools, can be a poor substitute for
actually learning the right way to do things.
The way we communicate in the 21st century may also be to blame. A
survey by Emphasis Training <http://www.writing-skills.com> found that
text-slang frequently appears in business communications. Britons send
around 2 billion text messages a month (Source: Mobile Data
Association June 04, <http://www.mda-mobiledata.org>). It's no
surprise then that the language acceptable for one method of
communication is sneaking its way inappropriately into another.
This huge increase in text as a communication tool means that spelling
and punctuation mistakes are common, particularly in business emails.
Think about how many emails you have to plough through in a day. It's
easy to become deeply absorbed, typing as quickly as possible to
finish the task and get that email sent. We easily forget rules such
as apostrophe-use and commas, as the ease of abbreviating in 'text
writing' becomes second nature. The Emphasis survey found that common
text abbreviations such as 'cd' for 'could', 'c u' for 'see you' and
'2' for 'to' or 'too' are regularly appearing. All make the writer
seem slapdash, informal and amateurish.
It's Not Just Emails
---------------------
The research revealed that one in five of the business documents that
companies receive each day is carelessly written and unclear.
Global Markets
--------------
Communicating clearly and effectively is increasingly important as
globalisation means that you now have to get your message across to
markets all over the world. As Digby Jones recently commented:
'Today's workplace is a challenging and fast-moving environment ...
The globalised economy in which the UK operates takes no prisoners'.
Many businesses abroad may prefer to use American English, so it's
useful to note the disparities. Barbara Wilson, a business writing
specialist, has worked with companies both here and in the U.S.. She
comments, 'Apart from the obvious differences in grammar and
punctuation, I find that the majority of American business writing is
more verbose than its English counterpart. American business people
tend to be concise and to the point when speaking, but less direct
when writing'.
The Economist <http://www.economist.co.uk> style guide also highlights
these distinctions between American and English writing. They note
that 'Many American words and expressions have passed into the
language ... Some are short and to the point, but many are
unnecessarily long'.
A good rule of thumb to follow in business writing is to always put
yourself in your reader's shoes. Remember, if you haven't met your
reader or spoken to them by phone, your written work will be all they
have to go on. They can't see your smart business suit, hear the
professional manner of your voice or visit your place of business. But
they will be left with the impression that they're dealing with
someone who is unprofessional if care is not taken with content,
spelling, tone and punctuation.
Ways to Improve your Business Writing
-------------------------------------
1. Establish your core statement - imagine you are going on TV for a
three-minute interview. Could you sum up the value of your topic in
three minutes? Write yourself a short piece (fewer than 30 words)
that you could use as a memory aid to help you sell your topic to
the interviewer. Try using it to clarify your thoughts on the issue
while speaking to a colleague. This will help you keep the main
message in mind when you're doing the writing itself.
2. Put your reader first - do they know much about the topic? Will
they understand your jargon or acronyms? How important is this
information to them? How interested are they in it? Are there any
grammatical or style features you should consider if your reader is
based outside the UK?
3. Make your beginning memorable - if you don't grab your reader at
the beginning of the document, you are wasting your time. Getting a
reader started is the most difficult part of writing, but there are
techniques you can use. Try starting with a surprise statement for
instance, or contrasting how things were in the recent past with
how they are now (in two or three sentences).
4. Go out with a bang - good endings are almost as important as good
beginnings. The last thing you want to do is leave the reader with
the impression that you've just run out of things to say. Useful
techniques are: looking to the future, repeating a major issue or
summarising. But be careful with the last one: keep that summary to
two or three sentences.
5. KISS - keep it short and simple. Write to express, not to impress.
No flowery language. Good ideas come across much better in plain
English.
6. Write in the active voice - that means: write the person or subject
before the verb. 'The researcher received the company archive' is
better than 'The company archive was received by the researcher'.
7. Make your sentence structure logical - say what the sentence is
about straight away, before you add in extra information. Say
what's happening, before you say why.
8. Use graphics where possible - we all learn in different ways. Some
people like written explanations, while others are more 'visual'
and prefer graphics and illustrations. Pictures are therefore a
great way of drawing visual people into your document. (Be careful
with clip art, though as this can look tacky). So, use a graph
rather than a table of data, for example.
9. Stick to two fonts - use one serif font (e.g. Times) for the body
text and one sans serif font (e.g. Arial) for headings and
subheadings.
10.E-mail - limit messages to one screen and use attachments for
longer messages.
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Robert Ashton <info@writing-skills.com> is Managing Director of
Emphasis Training Ltd, which specialises in business-writing skills.
The company is leading a drive to improve written communication in
business and regularly runs courses on all aspects of business
writing. Recent clients include The Environment Agency, Ernst & Young,
BUPA, Grant Thornton and Gillette. You can find more tips on effective
business writing at <http://www.writing-skills.com>.
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Related FreePint links:
* 'Publishing' articles in the FreePint Portal
<http://www.freepint.com/go/p121>
* Post a message to the author, Robert Ashton, or suggest further
resources at the FreePint Bar <http://www.freepint.com/bar>
* Read this article online, with activated hyperlinks
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/111104.htm#tips>
* Access the entire archive of FreePint content
<http://www.freepint.com/portal/content/>
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FREEPINT BOOKSHELF
<http://www.freepint.com/bookshelf>
"Web Search Garage"
By Tara Calishain
Reviewed by Caryn Wesner-Early
This book explores more aspects of Internet searching than I realized
existed! As one might expect from the co-author of Google Hacks, it is
somewhat Google-centric, but not as much as it might be. The reason
for most of that emphasis is that Google (used correctly) is a
powerful, flexible search system, not that Calishain is a Google
booster.
The book begins with an overview of full-text search engines,
exemplified by Google, and indexes, exemplified by Yahoo. It explains
the difference between the two types of search tools, then gives quick
descriptions of each of the two 'main players', including special
syntaxes, shortcuts, etc., related to each. The second chapter covers
other search tools, describing which type they are, how to search
them, and why one might wish to use one of them rather than Google or
Yahoo.
Some of the topics covered may look self-evident to professional
searchers, and are the kind of things we might forget to mention to
others. The chapter on the importance of vocabulary to get good
results might elicit a "well, duh!" response at first, but even
advanced searchers may discover new tips. For instance, even after
years of looking for jargon on the Internet, I never tried 'means' as
a search term. 'Proppant means' didn't get me directly to a
definition, but it pointed me right and gave me helpful search terms,
which is what Calishain recommends it for.
There are chapters on searching groups, lists and blogs, finding
associations, and using existing organizational structures like ZIP
codes to find information. One of the most helpful chapters for me was
on why to use special syntaxes like 'inurl:' and 'site:'. I'd gone to
seminars and read articles about how to use these, but wasn't already
using them and couldn't see how they'd improve search results. After
reading this chapter, though, I've used them more often.
International readers probably won't get as much out of this book as
Americans will. Part of that is the nature of the tools - Google's ZIP
Code search, for instance, works only in the US. However, much of the
information would be useful anywhere in the world.
Although this book isn't intended to be read cover to cover, it flows
fairly well if you choose to do so. The index is very good, and makes
an already useful book even more so (especially as the chapter titles
aren't always helpful). Screen shots clarify a number of points in the
text. There is no Web page associated with the book, but purchasers
will get a six-month subscription to ResearchBuzz Extra, the paid
version of Calishain's excellent free resource, ResearchBuzz (usually
USD 30/year, USD 20 for librarians).
As a long-time reader of the ResearchBuzz, I expected a lot from this
book, although wasn't sure I'd learn much because of my long history
of Internet searching. However, I now have tabs sticking out from many
pages, and will turn to this book when asked for types of searches I
don't usually see. I highly recommend it for all levels of searcher.
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Caryn Wesner-Early is a librarian who is contracted to the United
States Patent Office for database and Web searching.
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FEATURE ARTICLE
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/111104.htm#feature>
"Information Auditing: Key Concepts and How To Get Started"
By Steve Wood
This article is an introduction to the new in-depth report published
today by FreePint: "Information auditing: a guide for information
managers" ISBN 1-904769-08-X <http://www.freepint.com/shop/report/>.
Introduction
------------
The organisations we work in are increasingly dependent on
information, the information systems that enable the information
lifecycle (from creation to destruction) and people who have skills to
manage information. The term 'information overload' is a concept many
organisations will readily identify with. According to research
conducted by Reuters in 1997, 55% of British and American managers
were worried about making poor decisions, in spite of all the
information at their disposal.
So what is information auditing? Chaffey and Wood describe an
information audit as "an evaluation of the usage and flows of
information within an organisation". A more detailed definition from
ASLIB Information Resources Management Network described an
information audit as "a systematic examination of information use,
resources and flows, with a verification by reference to both people
and existing documents, in order to establish the extent to which they
are contributing to an organisation's objectives".
The term 'audit' sometimes can have a restrictive connotation; Trudy
Katz decided to use the term corporate information centre survey
instead when using information audit techniques to implement a new
information center for Mastercard International in New York.
Key Features of an Information Audit
------------------------------------
Assessing the various methods employed by organisations and discussed
in literature, the following key features of information audits can be
ascertained:
* What should be: A form of information needs analysis derived from
examining organisational objectives and business processes.
* What is: An assessment of the information resources created,
acquired and used in the organisation, including an understanding of
how information flows through the organisation. Including the role
of people and information systems.
* Gap analysis: An analysis of what should be against what is.
* Recommendations for action: a report or similar document containing
recommendations and actions focused upon eradicating the gaps in
terms of organisational priorities. Broken down into short and long
term actions.
* Actions: The actions will be fully realised in forms of new
organisational policies, procedures, strategies, and systems.
* Performance measurement: The setting of indicators and targets to
measure the effectiveness of action related to business objectives.
* Repeat audit process: Cycle will depend on business need.
Information Auditing - Leading Thinkers
---------------------------------------
Although information auditing is not yet a fully defined discipline,
such as financial auditing, there have been some important texts and
articles that have helped set the ground for a common approach. The
leading thinker is Liz Orna, who has published two seminal texts on
the topics: "Practical Information Policies" and "Information Strategy
in Practice". I reviewed the latter in FreePint 168
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/141004.htm>. The approach developed by
Orna focuses on using organisational objectives as the starting point,
analysing what information is required to meet these objectives. The
other key text is by Sue Henczel: "Information audit: a practical
guide". Her text offers a practical methodology with the following
components:
* Planning
* Data collection
* Data analysis
* Data evaluation
* Communicating recommendations
* Implementing recommendations
What Makes an Information Audit Successful?
-------------------------------------------
The following are the golden rules for successful information audits:
1. Identify agreed objectives for the audit with key stakeholders in
the organisation; they may have key business roles and key roles in
the information lifecycle. The objectives should be SMART
(Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely).
2. Use organisational objectives as the drivers for developing the
audit objectives and questions.
3. Do not try to use an audit methodology or software "off the
shelf" - the audit must be tailored to the organisation.
4. Make sure the audit does not have too many purposes that may lead
to conflicts of stakeholders.
5. Understand the scope of your audit - who are you going to audit and
why?
6. Make sure high-level organisation commitment is achieved at the
start of audit. Sell the benefits.
7. Select an audit team with a mix of skills from across the
organisation, including information management, systems, IT, HR and
project management.
8. Don't view the audit as a one-off; it is a repeatable process. Use
the audit data as a resource to be reused as a future benchmark.
Identify a future event or regular point in the organisational
calendar to carry out audits.
9. Think carefully about the suitability of using questionnaires or
interviews for your audit - think about the nature of the
organisation, the timescale and likely validity of results.
10.Communicate the findings widely and use as the basis for practical
action related to information policies, strategies and systems.
Understanding the Different Purposes for Information Auditing
-------------------------------------------------------------
The most common purpose for an information audit is related to
auditing information against business objectives. The aim of the
process will be to discover how information can be used more
effectively in meeting organisational objectives. In the short term,
the following benefits may be targeted:
* Identification of redundant or duplicated information not meeting
business need leading to cost savings
* Identification of information required, countering immediate
threats, e.g. new competitors, new legislation
* Making new information content available to key stakeholders
Over the longer term the following benefits will also be targeted:
* New strategic direction for information use within the organisation
* Aligned strategies for information management and systems
* Better decision making related to technology deployment
* Realigned business processes making better use of information
* An integrated view of information assets within the organisation and
how they relate to each other
* A change in information culture within the organisation with regard
to information sharing and use
* New information products that can be made available externally
The other purposes for which organisations use information auditing
include:
* Records Management
* Capturing information management best practice
* Legal compliance, e.g. Freedom of Information Act 2000, Data
Protection Act 1998
* Intranet development
* Migration to content management systems
The Information Audit in Action
-------------------------------
An information audit should make use of traditional methods such as
questionnaires, interviews and focus groups, to ask questions related
to the objectives and purpose of the audit. The audit should be
staged, starting with a pilot, feeding back improvements into the
process.
Software can be a valuable aid to the information auditor, whether in
the form of more basic tools already available to an organisation,
such as Microsoft Word, Excel or Access or more specialist tools such
as Audit Toolkit <http://www.audit-toolkit.com>.
Presenting and Communicating the Results
----------------------------------------
The results of the audit must be communicated across the organisation,
usually in the form of a report. The report should draw out the key
findings of the audit and not bury these findings in too much detailed
data - this should be made available, but placed in annexes or
appendices for those who require access.
In order to then gain commitment for resources to carry out the
actions and recommendations that will flow from the report, the audit
should be presented and explained to senior management.
Using the Audit to Develop an Information Policy and Strategy
-------------------------------------------------------------
Many organizations will focus upon information policies and strategies
as the key outputs from the information audit process (defined as
objectives at the start of the audit). By understanding the
information gaps identified in the audit, an organization can focus on
articulated methods to improve the problems identified.
Orna offers the best definition of an information policy as being:
"A policy founded on that organisation's overall objectives, and the
priorities within them". It is a document that sets out in a general
sense the information that is important to the organisation and what
is expected of people and systems in managing information.
An information strategy is an articulation of the how and when of the
principles and concepts set in the information policy. It will set out
the objectives and priorities related to information and
organisational objectives.
Getting Outside Help
--------------------
An often-asked question by organisations that have decided to carry
out an information audit is: "Should we carry the audit out in house
or use consultants?" There is no simple answer to this question -- the
best starting point is to look at the skills and resources available
within the organisation first, and then assess what value consultants
can add. Consultants may be able to help with two aspects -- the
planning and execution of the audit itself, or the training of staff
so that they can then carry out the audit. Some the key players in
this market in the UK are TFPL <http://www.tfpl.com>, Instant Library
<http://www.instant-library.com> and ASLIB <http://www.aslib.co.uk>
Resources
---------
Chaffey, D and Wood, S. 2004. Business Information Management:
improving performance using information systems. FT/Prentice Hall.
Harlow.
Di Mattia, S. and Blumenstein, L. 2000. In search of the information
audit: essential tool of cumbersome process? Library Journal,
03/01/2000. Vol. 125, Issue 4, p48.
Henczel, S. 2000. The Information Audit as a First Step towards
Effective Knowledge Management: An Opportunity for the Special
Librarian. Paper presented at the Global 2000 Worldwide Conference on
Special Librarianship, Brighton, 16 - 19 October 2000. Available
online at: <http://www.fh-potsdam.de/%7EIFLA/INSPEL/00-3hesu.pdf>
Henczel, S. 2002. Information audit: a practical guide. Gale.
Orna, E. 2004. Information Strategy in practice. Gower and Orna, E.
1999. Practical Information Policy. Gower. Aldershot.
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This article is an introduction to the new in-depth report published
today by FreePint: "Information auditing: a guide for information
managers" ISBN 1-904769-08-X <http://www.freepint.com/shop/report/>.
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Steve Wood is a Senior Lecturer in Information Management at the
School of Business Information, Liverpool John Moores University.
Steve lectures on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes on the
subject areas of e-business, information management, knowledge
management, content management and freedom of information. He is also
responsible for editing and maintaining the popular freedom of
information website, "Freedom of Information Act blog" at
<http://foia.blogspot.com>.
Steve also consults and trains on information management and
e-business issues with SMEs and large organisations. His textbook,
co-authored with Dave Chaffey entitled "Business Information
Management: improving performance using information systems" will be
published by FT Prentice Hall November 2004
<http://www.pearsoned.co.uk/>. Contact Steve by email to
<steve_wood62@hotmail.com>.
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