How Technology has (and has not) Changed the Information Profession

Notes from Chris & Janel's Call w/ Webb:

Chris - A leadership/management perspective on how technology as impacted the strategic focus of the information service.

Janel - A non-management perspective on how technology Has impacted implementation of the organization's information services strategy.

Chris will deliver her points. Then, Janel will deliver her points.

Chris

If you look at how info service operates from a high level, there's no part that hasn't been impacted by technology.
Technology has released info pros from being warehouses and brought them to where an when the information is needed.
Users have different expectations of info pros now. Analysis, insight and the use of visualization tools are expected.
New hardware and software technologies have changed the profession.
Info pros are now decentralized and spread across the organization with many roles and responsibilities.

Janel

Strategy execution is on the ground and in the day-to-day.
Be a collaboration facilitator. In the beginning, it's about interpersonal relationships.
Certain activities required to achieve the goals of the strategy are not reliant on technology.
Have ready elevator speech
Be visible, participating in activities/events outside the info pros center in order to become a trusted partner. Become embedded throughout the organization.

12 minutes total - Chris 7, Janel 5
Chris - provides definition of strategic focus & mentions her focus is more high-level/management
Chris - walks through bullet points for impact of technology & statement of how technology has not impacted the strategic focus is false
Janel - provides definition of strategic focus & mention her focus is more on the day to day level
Janel - walks through bullet points for impact of technology (with specific examples) & statement that there are still tasks that require a personal touch when it comes to strategic focus

Chris - The core business of an information service. Its mission - its reason for being. The concentration of all information/knowledge resources towards a specific end point/goal which contributes to the organization's efforts to achieve stated business goals and objectives.
Janel - How day to day actions relate back to overall goals and mission of the organization

Chris - Technology has released info pros from being the keepers of information material warehouses. The warehouse no longer defines an info pro. It's what they know and what they contribute which defines both the pro and the strategic focus of an IS.

Chris - Technology enables information to be "on demand" (where/when) people need it and empowers them to "self serve." The "order taking and delivery service" (journal articles, books, reprints, translations) of the past is no longer a component of core information services or its strategic business focus. People's expectations of an information service are changing. People are applying the experiences they have with other service organizations and incorporating them into their expectations of an information service. (Google search, Amazon reviews and previews). Their expectations include the same, if not better, user experience with technology. As a result information services are shifting their strategic focus to accommodate changes in service expectations.

Chris - An aspect of an information service's focus has always been supplying "information sherpas" to an organization. Info pros have always pointed people to information sources, recommended good books, tracked down research articles. Technology has impacted that role. Now we "engage" with the information. Technology has enabled info pros to conduct analysis and provide insights using analysis and visualization tools. Contributing to decisions through information synthesis and analysis is now expected. Our strategic focus has shifted and in many respects, deepened, thanks to technology. Gone are the days when we handed someone a bibliography or pointed to a citation.

Chris - Software technology has enabled info pros to accomplish IS goals of information asset management and knowledge sharing far more effectively and efficiently than ever before. Tools of the IS trade (catalogs, journal routing, union catalogs, p-slips) have been replaced with software which not only accomplishes the original task, but takes it to a whole new dimension, unimagined until it happened. Software has enabled the IS organization to modify its focus from service-provider to leader.

Chris - Hardware technology has unshackled info pros from their desks and offices. Now they can be in the environment (embedded) where their customers are "at the moment of need". The reference interview is unnecessary because the info pro is now an active participant in meetings where the questions are being generated. The info pro knows firsthand how the information will be used and its impact, so there's no need to query anyone. There's no filtering by a requestor so there's no need to employ the reference interview to tease out ancillary information requirements. Indeed, a key component of an information service's strategic focus-- the reference service-- has been drastically changed with the introduction of mobile technology.

Chris - Hardware technology has also decentralized the info service business. No longer does an information service have to be an "entity", a department, or a group. While an info service retains its strategic focus, it is spread across the enterprise, residing in pockets and on teams in the shape of people. Individuals – Information professionals who assume different roles and functions. Research analysts, competitive intelligence, syndicated research assets, knowledge management advocates, global business intelligence, product pipelines, sales and marketing, trends and insights, human capital development and recruitment, archivists, records managers.

Janel - Tools and methodologies which originated outside of the IS profession have been adopted and incorporated into the business model and strategic focus.
Software Development methodologies - Scrum/Agile
NPR built new catalog/search interface using the Scrum methodology
Allowed library staff & end-users to provide feedback on requirements as they were built instead of waiting till all the development was complete.
Open-Source platforms - Drupal
Library websites are adapting this platform to give more editorial control to end-users and incorporate other library systems together into one portal

Janel - Technology has created tools which allow goals to be achieved faster and more efficient as well as sometimes even allow self-service by our users
Self-scan checkout for physical items
Reference databases available on a network server allow research to be done by users.
Catalogs that incorporate metadata plus a copy of the physical asset

Janel - Technology has enabled greater freedom and flexibility to test/pilot new and different approaches and tools to information services. More adoption of piloting ideas versus just going ahead with full implementations allows for evaluation of if the tools & approaches will achieve the strategic goals.
Digital Music solution (Orpheus)
Vendor selection for a project
Even a new process - streamlining cataloging.

Add Labels
Enter labels to add to this page: Looking for a label? Just start typing.