Complex Information and Architecture

Introduction

The complex interaction of the various information elements and the need to fully understand the context of the information adds to the requirement to have a well-managed system. The problems require that special attention be paid to the structure and format of the filing of this information so that it can be appropriately stored as it is gathered. The concept of system theory may help understand complex situations which needs to be explored and resolved. This chapter will look at what is meant by the information management system and the relationship to a knowledge management system and will examine the use of the information/ knowledge maps as a tool to assist the information management project.

The previous chapters have discussed the large quantity of data and information required to evaluate the company’s position in today’s competitive environment, particularly when considering the resource-based view of competitive advantage. This information is multi-faceted and must, of necessity, be collected over a substantial period. There will also be a great deal of soft data that must be evaluated and integrated into an overall knowledge base that describes a very complex business situation.

Dealing with a large amount of complex information requires the information to be well organised and stored in the proper structure. The requirement is to select the right balance between describing all the critical functions against having too much detail included that then obscures the message that the information should convey. The proper structure means a clear, concise, unambiguous story rather than a voluminous amount of hard to follow narrative and figures.

Information in today’s organisation is an essential aspect of doing business effectively. “The greatest contribution that information makes to organisations is as a resource to improve the performance of organisations and the individuals that work within them.” (Chaffey and Wood, 2005, p10)

Chapter 2 discusses the argument of using the term ‘data’ versus ‘information’ and the extension of information by adding context to create knowledge. The first function of the information system (IS) is to provide the operational features for day to day activities, which can generate a great deal of data. The second increasingly important function is to support the organisation by massaging the data to produce operational and tactical management information. The transaction data can also be aggregated and periodically stored in a data warehouse to support future strategic decision making.

The information system developers need to know what information is essential for managers and staff to run the organisation effectively. The information system can then be designed to collect the additional necessary data. The nature of the information required to manage the business effectively is best determined directly by the organisation's managers rather than analysts from the IT department. Managers better understand the nuances of relationships and linkages between what may appear to be diverse pieces of data but may together form a significant component of management information.

If information is essential to the better performance of the organisation, it is also true that for the information to be valid, it must be managed correctly and efficiently. Chaffey and Wood propose that the process of managing information as a strategic resource for improving organisational performance requires developing strategies and introducing systems and controls to enhance the quality of information and deliver information value (2005).

The proper management of information starts with the transaction data and its filing in the company’s databases, the software used to control the storage and retrieval of the data is termed the database management system (DBMS), but to be able to retrieve data as required it must be stored in an organised format.

The data elements must be organised into records that describe particular business transaction entities, and these may be linked to related entities so that a piece of information that requires the connection of several transaction entities can be assembled. The DBMS can be accessed by software functions like (MIS and EIS) that specialise in requests for information and can follow linked records to retrieve consolidated information across the several related entities involved.

The data format and the linked relationships are described using data flow diagrams and entity-relationship diagrams, which were described in chapter 6. Explaining how data is used to enable a software transaction system to operate correctly is a matter of following the process via the people responsible and recording just how the process works and what data is needed.