This document summarizes a study conducted by researchers at Loughborough University and information managers at Leicestershire County Council. The study aimed to understand the information practices of staff, identify capabilities, and develop an information management strategy for the organization. Researchers observed and surveyed 30 people across 6 teams to analyze tasks, information needs, skills, and current practices. They found variation in practices both within and between organizations. There was also a lack of awareness around information governance. The study produced tools to help identify training needs, develop capabilities, and foster an information management culture throughout the organization.

1. Dr Mark Hepworth & Dr Tom Jackson
Department of Information Science
Loughborough University
Chris Masuda, Claire Everitt, Stephen Curtis
Information Management
Leicestershire County Council

2. Information
Some Some Publicised Commission
guidelines good disasters (fines!)
practice FOI & DP
IL (in the
Need to share
workplace) is
knowledge &
largely
information
unconscious
Traditional
Workplace
IL needs to IL focuses
little
be situated on the
studied
individual

3.  Understand information practices of staff
 Identify capabilities
 Develop a strategy that could be applied
throughout the organisation:
 to help identify i‐capability needs
 that would develop i‐capabilities and
 to foster a culture where information practice was
conscious and systematic i.e. an information
management culture

4. 30 people, 6 teams, across the organisation
Observation (understand context, build trust)
E‐survey (task analysis, information needs and use
analysis; key i‐skills; current practice)
Self‐diagnostic (information use and impact)
Interview (explore information behaviour)
One output was ‘tools’ that could be applied elsewhere
in the organisation and within other organisations

5.  Search and retrieval (IL = need & locate)
 Storage (IL = manage information)
 Retention and disposal (IL = manage information)
 Sharing (IL = communicate information)
 Security (IL = manage information)
 Quality (IL = i‐attitudes)
Could argue these are encompassed by IL but:
‐ greater emphasis on secure sharing and management
of information;
‐ reflects the organisational focus of the study

6.  Variation between organisations
 Variation within organisations
 In some organisations there was clear i‐governance
but not in all areas.
 Individuals varied in their information management
practices and capabilities.
 A lack of awareness or understanding of i‐governance
 For most people this was the first opportunity they
had had to reflect on their information behaviour.

7.  Search & retrieval
“it is difficult to find information I am looking for on the Intranet”
 Storage
“I save to my personal drive because I know it is secure”
 Retention & disposal
“I can still do my job without applying retention”
 Sharing
“I do not always know what I can and cannot share”
 Security
“There is no clear process on how we should be protecting information”
 Quality
“information was not copied across properly resulting in missing
information”

8.  i‐security e‐learning package on the desktop … led
to management edict (now all staff at Melton
Mowbray Borough Council have to go through the
package)
 Guidelines
 i‐personality workshop enabling team reflection
 Short animations on topics e.g. retention
 Tools to understand i‐capabilities

9.  i – competencies for staff should be built into professional
development framework (regular review, very important
for new staff)
 Develop e‐learning apps for all capabilities
 Develop animation apps for all capabilities
http://goanimate.com/videos/0lu‐cLLBI6pE/1
 Develop accessible guidelines (situated e.g. case studies)
 Roll out the process to the rest of the organisation and to
all government employees

10. Thanks for
listening.
Any questions?