tfpl blog

Who is managing information? Roles in the e-landscape

Information and communications technology (ICT) is radically changing the aspirations and expectations of large sections of society. In the ‘Amazon and eBay’ society people buy and sell online; connect with friends, relations and strangers throughout the world whenever they choose; and manage a great deal of their life over the net. The ‘Google’ effect has produced generations of individuals who expect information in varying formats at their finger tips.

New media, podcasting, blogs and wikis are changing expectations about how information is created, distributed and used. Bright employees are choosing employers who provide the information environments they expect; and clients expect increasingly more and more from their public and private sector suppliers.

The UK government has explicitly tied its flag to the exploitation of ICT to enable the delivery of effective and efficient public services*. In the private sector technology has enabled a globalised marketplace, increased competition, and bought an increasing need to contain risk and protect reputations. Information has become a key resource in both sectors for meeting targets and client needs, and for sustaining growth and innovation. Many organisations are beginning to treat information seriously - the management of information and its communication has never been more crucial.

TFPL has recently completed a research project to identify the information roles and functions needed in this environment. The results will help employers plan for effective use of ICT and individuals to assess career paths. “The e-landscape relies on a rich mix of expertise to ensure the quality, processes and security of the information that underpins organisational effectiveness” says Darron Chapman, Director of TFPL Recruitment. “Information professionals, working with other disciplines, play a vital role in making information available to many audiences in ways that are useful, appropriate and secure. We have long been aware that the lines between these disciplines are blurring and we felt that a clearer overall picture of e-information roles would be valuable. The research has enabled us to develop a framework of roles which illustrates the roles, their functions and impact they have.”

The conclusions of the research and the Framework will be available in a White Paper available on the TFPL web site in the early autumn.

Richard Pinder, Director of TFPL’s Information Solutions division believes that the Framework also illustrates the functions that organisations need to assess to ensure that their e-landscape is healthy.
“We can see six top level clusters of functions” says Pinder, “Each needing a mix of expertise and disciplines, tools and processes. If organisations ensure that each of these clusters are aligned with business goals, and that they are well integrated with each other and the business, then ICT can produce real return on investment”.

For more information about the research and the Framework, contact Darron Chapman or Richard Pinder on +44 (0)20 7332 6000.

Content Services Manager required

A European computer entertainment company requires a temporary Content Services Manager, for Online Delivery. The role will involve managing existing teams, providing content services and facilitating the transition from the old content management systems to a new one.

The primary focus will be to ensure that the Online Content Application meets user needs, improves the company's productivity and is adopted across the business. Candidate must have experience of managing content management systems in the media industry and experience of consulting on the implementation of enterprise content management systems.

Knowledge of industry leading ECMS products, such as Teamsite and Documentum is also essential. The role is for 6-12 months maternity cover and is to start as soon as possible.

Email your CV to temps@tfpl.com quoting ref: 20505KC or call +44 (0)20 7332 6000

Consulting Firm in London requires a Senior Knowledge Manager

A Senior Knowledge Manager is required for a city based Consulting Firm in London.

Based within the Business Advisory Services offering, the role will encompass three main elements: Offerings, Methods and Tools; Thought Leadership and Knowledge Management.

You must be degree educated with 5+ years' work experience coordinating resources and managing projects involving multiple stakeholders.
Industry experience within professional services, preferably in a consulting setting either as a client service profession or as KM specialist is advantageous.

Salary £Neg.
Ref: 20410DD.

Email your CV to knowledgerecruit@tfpl.com

Autumn is on its way!

TFPL's Autumn training programme begins in September. The courses which start the season include:

Thesaurus and taxonomy construction (5-6th)

Understanding how records, document, knowledge and content technologies fit and work together (7th)
Strategic information architecture design: building the platform for corporate delivery (8th)

Added value, business case and return on investment for libraries and information services (11th)

Introduction to records management (12th)

Information architecture foundation programme: bringing order to information chaos (13th)

Contract negotiation (14th)

Training the trainer: preparing the LIS professional to train their users (15th)

Book now! - and don't forget our Autumn promotion - buy one course and get another half price!

Important decisions

This post from Bob Sutton, co-author of

Knowing-doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action has written a post about Lovaglia’s Law.

To quote:
"Lovaglia’s Law: The more important the outcome of a decision, the more people will resist using evidence to make it."

I was intrigued by this idea:
“…the more is at stake, the more that people will be motivated to push for solutions that increase their power and decrease other’s power – and not motivated to take steps that help other people or other groups, let alone that help the system as a whole.”

This observation certainly comes into play in projects where there is significant or even minor change happening in an organisation. Often projects have been stalled or seriously disrupted for apparently illogical reasons. Perhaps Lovaglia’s Law helps to explain what is really going on.

A suggested solution:
“A partial, and paradoxical, solution is implied by Karl Weick’s work on small wins... : If important decisions provoke so much greed, distress, and irrationality, it might be best to try to reframe big decisions as small ones –- to fool yourself and others into believing that what seems big is really small!”

Records Management training in Glasgow

TFPL is delighted to add to its Autumn training programme, two Records Management courses which will be held in our Glasgow training suite this September.

19th September 2006 - Building and implementing a business classification scheme (Fileplan)
A course designed for RM professionals who wish to build, evaluate or improve their organisations' business classification scheme.
Trainer: James Lappin, Records Management Advisor, TFPL.
For details and bookings

20th September 2006 - Introduction to records management
Claire Turnbull, Information Access Manager at the Scottish Parliament will present a special case study at this course, which will demonstrate how records management thinking works and how you can make use of it in your organisation.
Trainer: James Lappin, Records Management Advisor, TFPL.
More details and bookings

Training Promotion - buy one course, get another half price

The TFPL training team are running a promotion for the Autumn programme - buy one course, get another half price.

The offer is valid on all public access training courses running from September - December 2006 in London and Glasgow.

For bookings and queries please contact Val Skelton or Angela Cookson on 020 7332 6000 or visit our website.

Enterprise Content Management Specialist vacancy

A multinational financial organisation in London is seeking an Enterprise Content Management Specialist/Business Analyst to provide expertise for the development of an ongoing research portal. 

Typical duties might include defining the business requirements and specifications, documenting business processes, identifying risks, managing deployment, communication and marketing of new functionality and carrying out knowledge transfer and training.  £Neg.

Please email your CV to knowledgerecruit@tfpl.com quoting Ref: 20369DD