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Key success factors for implementing new roles and organisation for information professionals Henri Stiller

Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

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Page 1: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

Key success factors for

implementing new roles and

organisation for information

professionals

Henri Stiller

Page 2: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

19 November 2013 [email protected] 2

Presentation outline

A paradoxical observation

Methodology and information sources

State of the art in 8 proposals

Key success factors, obstacles

Conclusion

Page 3: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

19 November 2013 [email protected] 3

Histen Riller in brief

Set up in 1979, information as a decision making tool

Reports, surveys, competitive intelligence, information

monitoring, training, consulting

Customer references: large companies, public

administrations and ministries

Page 4: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

19 November 2013 [email protected] 4

A paradoxical observation

Page 5: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

19 November 2013 [email protected] 5

A paradoxical observation

Information professions are in turmoil

the functions they implement tend to be

scattered within organizations

their role and added value is constantly

challenged

their positioning is not stable

professional wording is not any more in tune

with the evolution of businesses

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A paradoxical observation

Production and use of information

grows exponentially

How organizations access to information

they need for their operation, information

that affects or influences their strategy?

Page 7: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

19 November 2013 [email protected] 7

Methodology and information

sources

Page 8: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

19 November 2013 [email protected] 8

Methodology and information

sources

Field surveys carried out by Histen Riller in

large companies, between 1995 and 2010

Professional literature regarding recent trends

of information professions

Benchmarking survey carried out for the

Defence ministry by Histen Riller in December

2012

Page 9: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

19 November 2013 [email protected] 9

State of the art in 8 proposals

Page 10: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

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1 - A significant number of companies choose to

run their business without information

professionals

Almost 36% of the 200 largest French companies do not have an identified information department (HR

survey 2010)

correlated with the sector of business activity (HR

survey 2010)

sectors involved in advanced technologies choose rather to have a team of information professionals

sectors like retail, hospitality and restauration make rather the opposite choice

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1 - A significant number of companies choose to

run their business without information

professionals

What solutions for companies without an explicit information department? (HR survey 2010)

A technical system like a massively deployed intranet

fitted with a lot of tools -> information access for users, collaborative practices

external information: access is prepared by the communication department -> downloading on the intranet for provision of staff

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1 - A significant number of companies choose to

run their business without information

professionals

What solutions for companies without an

explicit information department? (HR survey

2010)

diffusion of this information:

pull mode – users search for the information they need on

the intranet

push mode - newsletters, RSS flows, mail alerts, etc.

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1 - A significant number of companies choose to

run their business without information

professionals

Trend (HR benchmark 2012)

train engineers in technical watch, rather than recruit

dedicated information professionals (even in highly

innovative sectors where access to information technology has a

strategic value)

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1 - A significant number of companies choose to

run their business without information

professionals

"In terms of human resources, the trend is to train experts in information searching, rather than the recruitment of information professionals" (electronics / communication sector) - (HR benchmark 2012)

“Involvement of experts and internal specialists, trained in information retrieval techniques, as well as in information monitoring & CI -> development of added value related to information management” (chemistry sector) - (HR benchmark 2012)

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1 - A significant number of companies choose to

run their business without information

professionals

“Acquisition of skills, and profile shifting of the same players, without going through the recruitment of new information professionals” (chemistry sector) - (HR benchmark 2012)

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The volume of information processed by companies explodes

Figures of the employment market for information professionals demonstrate that these professions are on the decline

either

development of tools to manage this increase in volume

or

processing this increase by other professions, including users themselves

2 - Companies favor the development of technical

solutions for accessing and sharing information

while maintaining their workforce of information

professionals at a low level

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Combination of both solutions -> users autonomy

becomes increasingly strong

Sometimes this happens in pain Testimony of an officer of a company in the sector of electronic and

communication: "The Information Centre works with a loyal

and active users core, but is ignored by some of the staff.

The latter is drowned out by the glut of information

available on the intranet "

2 - Companies favor the development of technical

solutions for accessing and sharing information

while maintaining their workforce of information

professionals at a low level

Page 18: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

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TESTIMONY (HR benchmark 2012)

Defence / Aerospace sector

The «Information monitoring & CI » function is organized around

a CI unit attached to the Direction of Strategy

Oriented primarily toward commercial, competitive, and strategic

information monitoring, this function will be organized around

tools for its network operation and its coordination

2 - Companies favor the development of technical

solutions for accessing and sharing information

while maintaining their workforce of information

professionals at a low level

Page 19: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

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3 - “Information monitoring (IM) and Competitive

Intelligence (CI)" is a function that is not always at

the strategic level that one might expect, even in

high-tech companies;

« IM » is a notion well understood in large companies

Among them a large part (around 50%) implements a

kind of « unstructured IM »

without the support of the general management, simply

driven by individual initiatives and willingness of managers of

the departments concerned

(HR survey 2010)

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TESTIMONIES (HR benchmark 2012)

Aerospace sector:

« IM and CI » is not enough acknowledged in the

company

staff in charge of this function devotes 10 to 40% of its

time, except at the commercial department where a

person is fully dedicated to it

3 - “IM and CI" is a function that is not

always at the strategic level that one might

expect, even in high-tech companies;

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3 - « IM & CI » : its implementation combines

actions of information professionals and of topic

specialists

TESTIMONIES (HR benchmark 2012)

Chemistry sector:

Information monitoring has a scattered organization: units

located within branches, without many relations between

them

Some units may have a dedicated information

professional, but rather engineers trained in information

processing perform this function

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TESTIMONIES (HR benchmark 2012)

Oil chemistry sector:

Technological watch is provided partly at the Information centre

by information professionals with usually a double training: a

scientific core education, reinforced by ongoing training for

Information Science

Researchers receive from the Information Centre information

related to their topics of interest, and perform a complementary

watch on very specialized subjects

3 - « IM & CI » : its implementation combines

actions of information professionals and of topic

specialists

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TESTIMONIES (HR benchmark 2012)

Electronics / communication sector:

The « IM & CI » function is deployed on several levels

In this frame, expert integration to ongoing studies is being

carried out by the mean of tools, implemented by the

Information centre staff

Rather than to recruit information professionals, the trend in

this company is to train experts in information retrieval

3 - « IM & CI » : its implementation combines

actions of information professionals and of topic

specialists

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Information professionals largely take part in the « IM &

CI » function: 68% among them are involved in

information monitoring activities (« Professions & salaries »

ADBS survey 2010)

In large French companies, Information Centres are

involved in the information monitoring process,

sometimes they manage it totally (HR survey 2010)

3 - « IM & CI » : its implementation combines

actions of information professionals and of topic

specialists

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4 - Staff which is not information professional is

increasingly involved in the “IM & CI” process

TESTIMONIES (HR benchmark 2012)

IM tasks are performed by users themselves through web searches, or through their personal network (aerospace sector)

Technological watch is also performed by scientists (engineers, PhD students). They have been trained in use of information tools (chemistry sector)

The acquisition of new skills allowing analysis of collected information is done through interviews with domain experts in the group (chemistry sector)

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TESTIMONIES (HR benchmark 2012)

Also involved in the « IM & CI » process are strategy

analysts, upstream studies engineers, vendors (defense / aerospace sector)

4 - Staff which is not information professional is

increasingly involved in the “IM & CI” process

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In large companies, IM systems involve: information professionals

AND

experts in the company fields

Experts -> trained in information retrieval

Information professionals: needs and challenges of experts for whom they work

Observation: a relatively small number of information professionals acts as resource persons (in information technology), the largest part of information monitoring is carried out by the recipients themselves

4 - Staff which is not information professional is

increasingly involved in the “IM & CI” process

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Trends

hybridization

tasks distribution according to skills

Information professionals are involved until a certain level of

specialization in the field

Tasks are then taken over by experts

Conversely, domain experts develop search queries until they

reach a level of complexity that requires the intervention of an

information professional

4 - Staff which is not information professional is

increasingly involved in the “IM & CI” process

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5 - The functions performed by information

professionals are moving towards the production

of more added value

Basic activities of Information centres show a clear tendency to get reduced in favor of more diverse and complex missions

The needs of companies are turning to the production of analysis, synthesis, to the enhancement of relevant information

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In parallel to the development of their autonomy, a need

for user training and consulting tends to increase

In most cases, users perform simple searches for their

need for access to information, and then turn to

information professionals for more complex searches

(eg in the field of patents)

5 - The functions performed by information

professionals are moving towards the production

of more added value

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This increase in added-value activities of

information management does not necessarily

result in job creation for information professionals

The implemented solutions are based on the

involvement of experts and internal specialists,

trained in information management, “IM & CI”

5 - The functions performed by information

professionals are moving towards the production

of more added value

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6 - A new positioning of information professionals

on cross-functional and intermediation functions

emerges, resulting in the creation of new jobs

Information professionals are more and more

requested for cross-functional projects

Tasks regarding support for project

management are increasing

methodology, skills regarding information sources

and tools

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Logistics intermediation: foster access of staff to internal as well as external information by tagging the information landscape

The position of information professionals is changing

they are more likely not to work within a centralized information unit

but they tend to get near to their users being attached to their department

6 - A new positioning of information professionals

on cross-functional and intermediation functions

emerges, resulting in the creation of new jobs

Page 34: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

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The vocabulary of information professions

continues to enrich

community manager

curator

document controller

records manager, etc.

6 - A new positioning of information professionals

on cross-functional and intermediation functions

emerges, resulting in the creation of new jobs

Page 35: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

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2 tracks for the development of information professions

1) changes arising from the development of Internet technologies

2) requirements in terms of safety, environmental, quality, health, more generally regulatory compliance

Two strong trends: deeply rooted in the evolution of our society

6 - A new positioning of information professionals

on cross-functional and intermediation functions

emerges, resulting in the creation of new jobs

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7 - A reciprocal impregnation of expertise in

information science versus company's business

is being tested in some companies

Tendency to complement the skills of information

professionals and field experts reciprocally

Experimental

Solution for access to strategic information:

hybridization -> gain in added value

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TESTIMONIES (HR benchmark 2012)

Chemistry sector

The acquisition of new skills allowing analysis of collected

information -> interviews with domain experts within the

company

Mutual enrichment experts-information professionals being

tested -> detachment of experts in the information centre for a

period of six months to a year

7 - A reciprocal impregnation of expertise in

information science versus company's business

is being tested in some companies

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8 - Users deploy autonomy in terms of access and

use of information, sometimes to the point where

they don’t need anymore the intervention of

information professionals

Companies make a decision between:

expert training in information management

or

recruitment of information professionals who will implement their information skills in the company fields

Both solutions coexist in general, with a predominance for the first one

NB: The fact that teaching of information monitoring techniques (STI) is now integrated in the curriculum of engineering education will further strengthen this trend

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Autonomy gained by users progress made in terms of human-machine interface in

computer technology (graphical interfaces, intuitive, usable by everyone)

search engine performances

communication and collaboration tools

Large companies: users proceed themselves to

relatively simple searches, and trust information

professionals for more complex searches

8 - Users deploy autonomy in terms of access and

use of information, sometimes to the point where

they don’t need anymore the intervention of

information professionals

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Some information professionals are not scared to

disappear because of the autonomy taken by their users

Oil chemistry sector

"The Information centre continues to receive requests

for complex searches involving the use of databases

that users do not have access to, or specialized

functions such as bibliometrics [...] or in the field of

patents "

8 - Users deploy autonomy in terms of access and

use of information, sometimes to the point where

they don’t need anymore the intervention of

information professionals

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The whole company is progressing in terms

of added value in its access to information

along with the assimilation of skills in information retrieval by

users-recipients (which allow them to make their own simple research),

new needs emerge, corresponding to an addition in added-value

to meet these new needs, the most advanced skills of

information are implemented

8 - Users deploy autonomy in terms of access and

use of information, sometimes to the point where

they don’t need anymore the intervention of

information professionals

Page 42: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

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Key success factors, obstacles

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Key success factors

Added Value

"The main factor for the successful development of

the information management function in large

companies is acknowledgment of its added value by

executive officers"

Page 44: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

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Key success factors

1) proficiency regarding tools, methods and organisation required by their implementation: IT tools for :

access to information

Information processing (including mapping, visualisation tools)

communication

sharing

Collaboration

Knowledge of information sources tailored to the needs of the company

web and web 2.0 technologies; etc.

2) understanding of the unique needs of the company’s business

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Key success factors

Added value

taking the role of consultant, trainer, and support to ICT implementation (including wikis, collaborative platforms)

proactivity: experimental projects with motivated users to implement new technologies

always ahead of their users on technological advances

constant need for training and information monitoring regarding ICT

Page 46: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

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Key success factors

Understanding of the specific business needs of

the company: several solutions

Information professionals with a double education

Interpenetration of skills

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Key success factors

Communication on Added Value

The added value of the information management function is effective for its development if and only if it is known and recognized

Users positive feedback -> intranet

Proselytism: show the utility of information management tasks (information monitoring ensures good image, then follow on other aspects)

Pilot projects, model implementation (“flash” training on topics or tools)

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Obstacles

Acknowledgment of added value by decision makers: if

granted, heads of the information management function

get resources -> virtuous circle

Ignorance of resources provided by the information

management function: information centres typically

operate with a core of active users, but which does not

extend

large population of potential users of the information

management function -> large companies (main success of an

information centre manager of a big aerospace company = "conquest of

new territories")

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Obstacles

Difficulties in designing a good organization and good

processes for managing libraries and document

repositories, and information monitoring

New expectations of users - including very short

processing time => adaptation of organizations and

methods

Groping of heads of the information management function

No stereotype of organization, specificity of each business

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Obstacles

Free access to information on the Internet -> educational actions, compromise between free and paid sources

Documentary digitalization: complex to implement in terms of tools and organization, perception of time waste, misunderstood issues, volunteering, and often a small part of internal documents is recorded

Development of e-books: publishers implement various processes for dealing with copyright

Solution (eg Thales Communications): service provider that brings this consistency but at the expense of the precise choice of content collections

Multinational groups: differences in culture, ways of understanding the issues related to information

Defense industry: a contradiction between national interests and harmonization of practices at transnational level

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Conclusion

Page 52: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

19 November 2013 [email protected] 52

Hybrid solutions, complementary

skills

In terms of access to strategic information – information that influences

companies strategy, globally and locally (teams, departments, projects) – companies are developing hybrid solutions, combining the skills from information professionals with their experts ones

Therefore inherently systems are fragmented, with sometimes a coordination at different levels: :

CI unit attached to the Direction of Strategy or the General Direction

information monitoring units attached to a department, more specifically a users department

Information Centre acting as information monitoring coordinator

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Lack of governance

Even in very large companies, there is no real

governance of strategic information

Personal initiatives taken by managers at a department level,

with the support of their management of attachment, in a

budgetary framework drawn by the General Direction

Gropings and hesitations

Move without visibility in the information world -> single

landmark: reducing or at least controlling costs

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Lack of governance

Observation of the under-utilization of information assets

and internal expertise

Commentary frequently repeated by managers we

interviewed was that “IM & CI" was not sufficiently valued in

the company (not to mention knowledge management ...)

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Lack of governance

Company difficulties:

complexity of the information landscape growing permanently

chronic gap between ICT use and implementation

Solutions mostly chosen in large companies:

deployment of systems and tools

without necessarily having projected the implications in terms of organization, changes in processes and uses

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Landmarks

Search of invariants or heavy trends

ICT and especially technologies related to the Internet

Evolution towards a society increasingly standardized and regulated

Mobility

Big data

Information world

Reference information

Information / documents with legal or regulatory value, that can be provided as evidence in case of dispute in front of the authorities, or constituting the technological capital of the company

Information regarding the current environment

for decision making and actions guidelines, with a more or less short life cycle

Page 57: Henry Stiller Implementing New Roles For Information Professionals

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Reference information

Reference information: field of archivists, records

managers, information specialists in intellectual

property…

Functions well defined, with clear tasks, implementing

mature practices and procedures

Usually well controlled by companies

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Reference informations, project

documentation

Any new project => consumption and production of a large

amount of information, some of which is destined to

become reference information

For large projects, the function of "document controller" was

created, and plays its role perfectly

Multitude of smaller projects: tracing operations

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Reference information, project

documentation

« Multi-project document controller »

cross-cutting interventions as "document controller" on

several projects simultaneously

Comparing to:

quality approach

tendancy to extend project management

the « document controller » is a full member of the project team

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New professions related to ICT

and the Internet

Development of information professions related to Internet technologies

webmasters, content managers, community managers, social networks watchers, curators…

These businesses will evolve in parallel with technologies => jobs will disappear, other will be created

Constant adaptation

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Intermediary, facilitator, prescriber,

mapping technician, coach, trainer…

Role of mediator, information sources and tools prescriber, setting landmarks to guide users in an informational world increasingly opaque

=> sufficient technical training to master the tools and access to information assets of any kind

Role could be crucial for companies (information overload, poor ICT and company social networks skills)

Information professionals added value

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Parallel with quality -> supporting role and advising their users

Training, « best practices » processes for simple information search

Expertise implementation for more complex search

Scheme implemented in some companies => generalize

Intermediary, facilitator, prescriber,

mapping technician, coach, trainer…

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Companies: added-value increase

Demanding in terms of skills => effort in information

professionals training and education

technical (tools, information monitoring, collaborative platforms,

etc.)

consulting

coaching

project management

Intermediary, facilitator, prescriber,

mapping technician, coach, trainer…

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Survey limits and frame

Sources: field survey of large French companies; recent literature dealing with the question; benchmarking study about a small number of companies, processed as a series of case studies

Heuristic approach, not comprehensive

Conclusions apply mainly to large companies in the industrial world

strong trends for all information professions

Putting it into perspective: development of mobility, of the cloud, of the big data…

profound transformation of the companies organization

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Proposals to shape governance

Proposals to shape governance for access to strategic information, its processing and its integration into the business processes

Huge field of possibilities -> community of professions under questioning

Implementation

=> challenge of training courses and education for these professions

=> reconsider the positionning of these professions by business leaders

cross-cutting fields such as quality or management controlling