What is Information Management? Information Management is the collation, organisation, maintenance and dissemination of data. However implementing such a system, and then getting the best from it, is far from simple. Information content can change rapidly, meanwhile systems and channels have developed radically over the years from hard copy cataloguing in a library to electronic directories with complex searchable classifications, viewable on PCs and mobile devices. In your organisation you might be facing the prospect of creating a system from scratch or you may be looking at an inherited set-up that needs overhauling. Regardless of your starting point the principles are the same.

The initial need Scoping the need for an IM system, and what you expect it to do should involve as many people in the organisation as possible. Where appropriate external users who interface with your system should be included. This might be achieved through surveying the current system and the needs of all stakeholders, perhaps undertaking surveys and/or forming user or test groups. This initial stage is highly important and requires more time than might be originally anticipated. A fully mapped out system in principle from the outset, will ensure you have the outputs you need to fulfil the organisation’s objectives. If you intend to commission external providers, the more information they have about your needs and the permutations within the system, the more accurately they can determine potential timescales and costs. Time invested at this stage will pay dividends further on in the process.

Important things to think about 1.

What data do we currently hold and how is it structured?

2.

What works and doesn’t work? How could it be improved?

3.

Who will be using the system internally and externally? What are their needs and how will they interrogate the system?

4.

Does the information we have or are about to collate add real value? Is this content needed, or only parts of it?

5.

What are the commonalities and relationships within the data?

6.

Have we got the resources to maintain the system and people with the right skill sets?

7.

What reports or analytics would we want from the system?

8.

How will anything new that is introduced integrate with other systems used across departments?

9.

What steps could be taken to future proof the system i.e. content, format, storage, capacity etc.

10.

What contingencies do we have in place should the system go down. Backup copies, restoring previous versions etc.

11.

How unique or otherwise does the system need to be? Is it ‘industry standard’ or bespoke to a particular supplier?

Consider the big three: One: Strategy, Two: Standards, Three: Processes and Procedures 1) Strategy Strategy encompasses the organisation’s goals and objectives which ultimately drive IM development. However it also includes the strategic framework that needs to be devised for the information and system itself. Both of these aspects have a purpose and lifespan which need to be properly explored and refreshed alongside other strategy documents. Information is infinite and the strategic purpose must establish parameters as too much information can overwhelm the system and the people using it. For example: For an organisation cataloguing services supporting families one of the overriding questions might be, where are the boundaries within the limitless data possibilities? Provided the organisational strategy stipulates clear definitions and parameters of support then any IM developed in line with this should be fit for purpose, easier to maintain and less likely to lose integrity and coherence. Thus for example the organisation could define what was meant by ‘family’, enabling the information to then be confined to that definition e.g. those households with one adult and one person aged under 18 or 21.

In this way the information will naturally become more manageable and easier to categorise once principles are established. The IM principles established should be incorporated into the system (internally and externally) and practiced throughout in collation and maintenance of data. For example, if you are capturing information from

services supporting families then this information needs to be kept up to date. Otherwise clients will be misinformed and the services themselves have rights as the data subjects. The overarching principles must be captured in your strategy to ensure adoption across all staff and platforms.

2) Standards Standards can sometimes appear tedious however they are crucial in establishing a solid, dependable system. Business rules should be mapped out beforehand, not on a rolling ad-hoc basis and everyone must abide by these standards. These will include:    

naming conventions deciding how and where items are stored devising systems/schedules for updating content ensuring the accuracy of statements and consistency in writing style etc.

Standards are likely to dictate that information submitted externally is moderated internally to ensure the information is consistent. For example: For example, an organisation might work with four family planning clinics, each of which submit their service information for service users to ultimately access. One has written a lengthy paragraph, the other two sentences. Another has stated the area they serve whilst the fourth one hasn’t. Inconsistency creates cognitive challenges and can make it harder to categorise and process.

Consistent standards make an important difference when it comes to people using and trusting your system. Ultimately they are an essential indicator as to whether your information is reliable, a credible source and can be trusted and perhaps even funded.

3) Procedures and Processes Procedures and processes capture the transition of data from input to output. They stipulate what happens to the data coming in, how, when and by whom. For example: A service might be inundated with information about organisations supporting families – what happens to this data? Staff processing the incoming information would benefit from having a process mapping out the steps that need to be taken. This could be divided into the sources of data coming in, the categories within it etc. Work flows could indicate the responsibilities of different people to achieve the goal of an efficient transition from input to output.

A comprehensive and sequential procedure can instruct and guide staff to adhere to the principles and standards on which your information system depends. The implementation of tasks to deadlines and work priorities are also vital in shaping the resources, roles and responsibilities of staff. Effective procedures will ensure consistency and assist management of the data within delivery timeframes. In turn these will facilitate the production of statistical data to support reporting and feedback such as Key Performance Indicators and Staff Performance Appraisals.

IT Systems The next consideration (which could be the largest in terms of monetary commitment) is the storage of your organisation’s information. Whether it is something bespoke or freeware, your other IT systems must support and integrate with it and ultimately your staff must be confident with using the system. Each system has pros and cons depending on the requirements, budget and expertise. Below is a brief overview of options to consider.

What are your options? Spreadsheet e.g. MS Excel For most users, spreadsheet software is limited to calculations, conditional formatting, formulas and graphs. Some users with more advanced skills can enter the realms of pivot tables, pivot reporting Visual Basic and macros. The former is somewhat limited for large amounts of data as the architecture tends to be a flat one consisting of numerous tabs and basic formulas to extract the data required. However, the latter makes handling large amounts of data much easier. Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) enhances Excel’s functionality considerably but there are some aspects which could present challenges such as its limited relational structure, long term data storage and possibility of file corruption and the difficulty of multiple access to a single file, overwriting content.

Database software e.g. MS Access There are two main reasons why people move away from a system such as Excel and embrace Access: one, duplication of data and two, the need for relational data. A database like Access stores data separately from reports and queries. This allows the user to create numerous reports from one set of data, reducing the risk of data duplication, and also sets up the relational aspect of the database. For example, an organisation might want to report on how many calls are placed to the helpline each month filtering by location, gender and age. However separately they may also need more detailed information about how quickly the call was responded to, whether the caller has contacted the service before and who referred them to your service. These can be stored as separate queries within the database but drawn from the same data set. Whilst a database such as MS Access has greater flexibility and capacity for data storage it must be managed carefully to prevent it becoming unwieldy for the end user.

Customer Relationship Management System (CRM’s) This takes information management to a much higher level and can incorporate all your business needs such as marketing intelligence, sales leads tracking and customer behaviour information along with integrating with other systems such as finance, mailing management system and analytic software to name just a few. CRMs range from inexpensive open source products to more costly bespoke software development. Research and planning are crucial should you wish to adopt a CRM in order to ensure it provides everything your service needs.

Things to consider When choosing any information management solution you must consider the following carefully:  What does and doesn’t work with your current system?  What does each department within your organisation need from an information management system?  What other systems or software is the new system required to integrate with?  Who will be accessing the system, do you need different levels of access i.e. protected areas?  How will the new system be accessed? If cloud-based you will need satisfactory broadband speed.  Data protection and security i.e. secure servers, backup measures, data encryption  How will data integrity be ensured?  Is there sufficient storage on servers?  How many users will there be as this might increase the cost of licenses and how much concurrent access is likely to be required?  Support costs should you wish to develop the system in the future or maintain ongoing support?  Staff expertise and time allocated to learn and embed new system  Do you need an auditing trail?  Do you need to dispense with, or can it run alongside current systems? For example, you could export data from Access into Excel to create a graphical representation.

Conclusion This eBook takes an introductory look at information management. It’s a vast topic and like all things, every solution will be unique to the individual requirements of each organisation. Helplines Partnership has developed and implemented bespoke information systems for a range of non-profit sector requirements over the years. These include:  A hard copy directory of support services for families funded by a local charity.  A leading website supporting the complex needs of disabled children as part of the Aiming High initiative for a large local authority. Helplines Partnership is an Information Standard Supporting Partner as we provide high quality information in the form of our extensive Find a Helpline directory and we campaign for accessible provision of reliable quality information. Helplines Partnership has itself recently introduced a powerful membership data management package, linked to our improved website and content management system. Additionally we have transitioned our core IT systems from a hosted service to a cloud-based set-up using Microsoft Office 365 and SharePoint. We hope this eBook has encouraged you to devise or revise, review and improve your information management systems, strategies, standards and procedures. Helplines Partnership has over 25 years’ experience of working in the sector and understand first-hand the challenges and complexities that can arise. Contact us if you’d like to explore how we can provide support tailored to your needs and/or explore and implement your requirements.

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