Welcome

This Blog is been hosted by the Institute for Innovation in Information Management [I3M] at the University of Washington (UW). I3M is housed in the Information School at UW. It is my pleasure to welcome you to our Blog. I serve as the Director of I3M and am on faculty of Information School (see http://faculty.washington.edu/kdesouza for more information). I3M is focused on advancing the practice and theory of information management (see http://depts.washington.edu/iiim/mission.htm ).
Organizations are essentially information processing entities. The performance of an organization will depend on how effectively and efficiently it processes information from its internal and external environments and applies the information towards realization of its goals and objectives. In my book, Agile Information Systems: Conceptualization, Construction, and Management, I make the argument that: an agile organization will be able to (1) sense signals (data) in the environment, (2) process (construct information) them adequately, (3) mobilize knowledge-based resources and processes to take advantage of future opportunities, and (4) continuously learn and improve the operations of the organization. In addition, an agile organization will undertake the preceding activities in quick time cycles and with minimal cost and effort. Optimal, and innovative forms of, information management is a critical element for building agile organizations. So, what exactly is information management?

I define information management as the collection of activities involved in managing the sources of information, analytics used to derive relationships from information, mechanisms for interpreting meanings from relationships, and calibrating actions based on meanings, in an effective and efficient manner, to meet the challenges of the organization. The components, sources management, analytics management, interpretation management, and action management, are in escalating order of dependence as each determines the basis upon which the others will build sequentially. The components of information management are linked with one another in a circular manner. The goals of information management are to contribute to increased business value of the organization and also to improve the process of information management in the organization.

The above definition is comprehensive in that it covers the peculiarities of information management from the sources from which signals are gathered to the actions that are calibrated from the processing of information and the generation of actionable knowledge. The components of information management are placed in order, albeit in a circular manner. For example, without good sources management, you cannot go on to have proper analytics management. The same is true as you ascend in order through the different levels of management all the way to actions management, which is dependent on the three levels below it. Ultimately, actions generated will influence the sources of information. In order for an organization to have a successful information management program, it must show proficiency in each one of the four components. Because of the interdependence each component has upon one another, failure at any level will result in a deficient information management program. Taken in combination the four components represent the information management process from generation of information to the application of knowledge through the calibration of actions and learning from the actions so that this feedback may be used to improve successive activities in each of the components.
Do you agree/disagree? Do you have a different definition? All comments and suggestions are welcome…

Cheers,
Dr. Kevin C. Desouza
Assistant Professor, The Information School
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering
Director, Institute for Innovation in Information Management
Director, Institute for National Security Education and Research
Website: http://faculty.washington.edu/kdesouza/
Blog: http://kevindesouza.blogspot.com
Blog: http://ideas4change-ischool.blogspot.com/
Blog: http://ideas4innovation.blogspot.com/
Blog: http://secureknow.blogspot.com