The most neglected area of business management is what happens to the information the business creates, collects, uses and stores. Everything is left to chance and nobody sees this as a whole of business responsibility. This is not about the technical aspects of communications or the equipment to make the business work now and in the future. It is about managing the business by managing information content.
Instead of looking to the computer industry for answers to questions that have never really been formulated over decades, any and every business must take the opportunity to look at:
* what is does and how it can do it better with more information;
* where it is failing in fully utilizing its business information assets;
* what it would want to have in place to maximize its:
* resources of all types in all media;
* training materials, programs and opportunities;
* across-the-board usage of business knowledge;
* policy to compliance transfer.
And this is not about spending money on software, systems or equipment. It is about spending time on reviewing what can be done and asking whether it is being done.
One example of business information management bad practice is that most businesses have bits of policy here and there that is:
* not official;
* unwritten;
* hidden;
* outdated;
* ambiguous.
Many businesses think that policy is something other than business information and many will only see what is missing when something bad happens.
Nothing in any of the current systems businesses large and small are likely to be currently using to manage business information will adequately deal with policy because they can't deal with policy deficiencies.
Every business can access the kind of business information structure that will prove to be the best management tool they have ever had. Every business can use the structure to promote:
* teamwork through sharing information and resources;
* skills development through greater access to training;
* greater accountability including file and folder management;
* cost cutting through less duplication of information and effort;
* security of content through context organization.
This is all about context organization of business information. It is not about context labeling as used in current document and knowledge management systems.
Every business can ask to have the business information structure they want. That they don't ask is just about recognizing the importance and value of context as a real location. Context labels are about virtual location.
Content in context location is about:
* policy in context;
* training in context;
* resources in context;
* policy and compliance in context;
* folder and file management in context;
* teamwork support through context.
There are ten stages to developing a business focused in-context business information management process that will last a business forever.
When businesses get to see the huge benefits in this kind of best practice, every computer will be set up to get started right away on the right structure for each individual business.
In the meantime, any business can get started with the book "How to Renovate Your Business" by Kirby White, published by Ten Steps Business Publications. This book will provide the formula for success. You owe it to your business to investigate your options for best practice and the best time to do that is now.
In this exciting, enterprising and energetic second decade of the 21st century the way that the business world stores and accesses it precious business information has changed, perhaps forever. But in this fast action, fast result world of information transfer has the business world thrown the baby out with the bathwater? How secure is your information? How much does it reflect what the business is doing and where it is going? Or, has what seems to be the cheapest and easiest solution made your business or organisation less secure and continuously searching for the information it needs to be productive and successful. As an information management enthusiast, Kirby White looks at what best practice really means.
