One thing we are not short of in this society is
information. A couple of generations have grown up with notions
like "the information age" and "information is power". Governments,
especially the current one, appear besotted with the idea that the
more information that can be stored on everything and everyone the
better. For whom? we might ask.
The problem for most organisations and the individuals who work
for them is not a shortage of data but being able to evaluate what
is useful and what is not, where to find the good stuff, and then
how to exploit it effectively.
Our industry made the change from DP to IT (data processing to
information technology) more than 20 years ago, so an outsider
might be forgiven for wondering why we have not got the information
management conundrum cracked by now.
But as Sharm Manwani points out on page 30, we still have a long
way to go and he identifies problems such as too much focus on
technology at the expense of management, a shortfall in information
competency by general management, and the existence of four
distinct information worlds.
Now a group of influential organisations is co-operating to
"raise the bar" in information management by looking to a more
integrated approach, improved skills and a better understanding of
quality and processes.
The challenges of data quality, regulation, access and
exploitation are rapidly increasing in urgency. For any
organisation effective information management will make the
difference between coping with a dreary burden or using information
to gain clarity and build new opportunities.
* The galloping consolidation among enterprise
software suppliers should give IT users pause for thought. Oracle's
capture of Siebel, coming hard on the heels of its merger with
PeopleSoft and Retek, is merely the most recent sign of the
process.
For suppliers, consolidation brings an increased customer base,
which it would be folly to drive away by forcing users onto new
platforms. Oracle has made great efforts to keep PeopleSoft users
happy. Nevertheless, the history of our industry shows users too
often lose out in these situations.
More than ever we need independent user groups to share
knowledge and present a united front to suppliers. The UK has
several groups fighting for corporate and public sector users. They
deserve to be supported as never before.