The value to an organization of information, and any subsequent knowledge which flows from it, only comes when individuals turn information into knowledge and then act on it. This new book from Elizabeth Orna presents the results of her recent research into what she calls “information products”. Her premise is that as knowledge cannot travel directly from one mind to another: in order to pass it onto others, we transform it into information products, and hence make it visible.
Information products are defined as “the products, print on paper or electronic, through which information is presented for use”. These IPs, as she refers to them, could be product catalogues, instruction manuals, reports or web sites. As important as these may be to an organization, very rarely does any effort go into their management. She comments: “I gave up being surprised a long time ago by how often those essential products look as if they had been designed to repel all boarders, drive users to distraction, dissuade potential customers from purchase of goods or services, and impede staff in their work”.
The main part of this book is a discussion of the role of information products (IPs) in an organization and numerous case studies are used to illustrate what actually happens in practice – both successes and failures. Orna spends time considering how an organization's overall culture influences its information culture and subsequently its IPs. The case study of “The British Galleries” project at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London is a good example of how, after a few false starts, different groups were able to effectively work together on appropriate content, media and design.
In accepting that information products are vital resources, she goes on in other chapters to consider the value that IPs can add to or subtract from an organization; the numerous stakeholder groups whose interests have to be taken into account; the link between IPs and information management; the role technology has in supporting IPs and the contribution that good information design can bring. In the final chapters she puts forward an information auditing framework as a way of maximizing value from IPs. This section is highly practical, laying down the steps to be followed. For anyone wishing to pursue further any of the issues she raises, each chapter concludes with references for follow on reading.
This book is a mix of theory and practice. Orna successfully argues, and shows, that organizations have much to gain by adopting a structured approach to the management of information. Anyone involved in information and knowledge management whether they be senior managers, information professionals, web developers or information designers will gain numerous insights from this book.
