Keywords:
rule of thumb, rules of thumb, instructions, manuals, guidelines,
workflow, contents management, information management, knowledge
management, processes, documentation, information acquisition,
information retrieval, sources of information, information sources,
rationalization, archiving, outsourcing, prioritizing, setting
priorities, information service, Jaakko Anttila
Basic principles of information
acquisition, information management and knowledge management
Creative chaos will definitely bring
up new and fresh solutions. On the other hand, a systematical way to
work does not necessary suppress creativity. Generally speaking, rules
are not too nice, but very often they serve the purpose.
The next ten, a bit simplified rules
derive their origin from normal, every day work life experiences, and
they have been proved to be good and valuable guidelines. By applying
them, you can increase the efficiency, speed and quality of your
information/knowledge-related work and processes.
1. Create manuals and instructions
Create manuals and written instructions how the information is
acquired, how the acquisition process is documented, and how the
acquired information is refined/processed/stored. With a good manual,
even a less experienced knowledge worker can gain good results.
Transfer your tacit knowledge available to everyone by creating manuals
and instructions. You must also be prepared to change the processes -
and, accordingly, instructions - if needed.
A warning: if you notice that you are adding exceptions to the
instructions (like: "...except in case... then..."), there may be
something wrong with the process itself, see the paragraph 3!
Do not rely on people's memory regarding processes and procedures. Make
sure that everyone knows where the manuals and instructions can be
found - and that they use them!
2. Document your work
For example, you can create yourself a form and fill it in every time
you retrieve information: write down the date, the information sources
that you use, search criteria (phrases), results (amounts), and how the
results were further processed (edited, combined, delivered). With this
information, it is easy and fast to restart the search, if needed, and
most important of all: you can avoid doing overlapping work.
You can also write to the report some hints on what sources/criteria
can be used if the search must be restarted.
3. No alternatives
Information contents dictate the way the information is processed - not
the physical form (paper/electronic) of the document or the origin of
the information. You must forward the documents to one single process
flow ("process pipe"), create standards and exact procedures, and unify
the physical form of the documents (i.e. transfer to electronic form).
By unifying the management and handling process, you make it possible
to find the material/documents also after they have been cut off from
their current context: it is easy to go down the process ("pipe") until
the material/information/document is found, no matter in what phase it
is. This is not possible if the process has branches.
4. Always use a new information source
When you retrieve information, you should always try to use also some
information source that is new for you. This is the only effective way
to keep yourself updated. It does not actually matter too much if you
find the information that you are looking for from the new source or
not – of course you may sometimes get surprisingly good results - but
at least each time you get familiar with a new source.
5. Databases and databanks are not the
only solution
You do not want to use a database; you want to find information. Do not
underestimate your own network: send e-mail to an expert (colleague) or
call him/her.
6. Remember references
Information without metadata/reference is worthless - it does not
exist. Teach all members in your organization to always add
bibliographic reference (source) to photocopies. Always.
Remember to also add the source/reference when you put information to
databases.
7. Specify the need for information
When someone says to you: "There was few weeks ago a long article on
mobile phone operators in some newspaper. Could you, please, find it
for me!"
By making some clarifying questions you may find out that the actual
need for information is "I need a list of largest mobile phone
operators in Europe".
Warning: make sure that your customer understands why you make the
clarifying questions.
8. Set priorities
Try to find out how important each information retrieval assignment is,
try to get rid of less important and "nice to know" assignments: "This
is doable, but it will require 4 hours of work plus 500 Euros as
database costs. Is this that important?" if the answer is "yes", you
do, naturally, not argue.
Also be honest to yourself, there are mainly two kinds of assignments:
the ones that you can start today, and the ones that are never made.
9. Outsource
Concentrate on assignments that are really important, and you know that
you are the best person to do them and/or you cannot outsource because
of, for example, confidentiality reasons.
Outsourcing is not laziness; instead it requires lots of skills,
experience and know-how.
10. Destroy
If find yourself thinking "Shall I destroy this or not?" destroy.
Destroy also in the case that you know some organization that is
archiving the material in question. For example: if you have a good
newspaper article and you also have an access to the archive database
of the newspaper, destroy the article as soon as you do not immediately
need it anymore. It is easy for you to retrieve it again from the
database and there may be a happy surprise: besides the original
article, you may also find another, fresh article on the same subject!
Jaakko Anttila
Information Manager