To say the concept of the information worker (IW) has come of age is perhaps misleading. A more accurate approximation is that the concept continues to advance, supported by the availability of better and more powerful information management tools.
This is driven from both sides: firstly business is putting increasing pressure on compliance and efficiency; and secondly, users are demanding platforms that provide the kind of tools they commonly use on the Internet.
Where the concept of an information worker previously conjured up images of administrative staff shifting data around (almost like an electronic shuffling of papers on the desk), this has evolved to a notion of users taking existing and new information, giving it context through process, and putting it to better use for the organisations they serve.
There is huge volume of electronic information in the modern company, so software tools have to deliver effective mechanisms to create, store and find data. From a local drive, network share or mail store, the real shift is now to online portal-based systems. The reason behind this is that increasingly, the IW needs to access information in a variety of contexts and from a variety of locations - using a variety of devices - just like they do when interacting with their Internet tools of choice in their personal lives.
There is the associated concept of regulatory compliance, something that's filtering its way through the local market (no longer a need reserved for select sectors). This is driving not only information retention, but the necessity to find information when it is required as soon as possible. Search, for the information worker, is key. Call it the burden of proof: if a regulator or a government agency needs evidence, better you are able to produce it.
Businesses can now benefit from custom-fit systems and processes by using out-of-the-box platform workflow tools. These provide for the rapid definition and (in some cases automated) execution of business processes. Driven by information exchange, workflow provides the mechanism to implement the processes in our businesses, allowing them to happen quicker and with minimal disruption. And that feeds into efficiency.
The tools to enable these concepts allow the IW to have the data they need at their fingertips.
But, what good are tools if they are not properly used? No good at all.
That brings us to another major shift, which is becoming apparent. The IW, as an individual, is maturing in the usage of tools. The requirement for the 'correct' usage of tools is being recognised by the individual; this is driving acceptance and use of the technology. For example, metadata - the data that gives information structure - is increasingly being captured. IWs recognise that they will need to retrieve information which is being worked on today, at some time in the future, so the better it is described through metadata, the easier it is to get back to later.
Probably the biggest shift is the reality that Web components - blogs, wikis and forums - living inside our corporate environments are fast becoming a requirement and not a luxury. When the IW is at home, and they run a search, most often the best answer is found in a blog, wiki, or forum of some kind. This is because the kind of knowledge people are looking for relates to experience (knowledge), which cannot be conveyed easily through traditional means (documents).
The use of these technologies inside an organisation - allows core IP - the “know how” - to be articulated in a way that makes sense to users.
Today the IW's needs and those of their businesses rely on platforms and tools that are vastly different to what was available a few years ago. In effect, the advancement of the information worker is evolving through a symbiotic relationship with available technology upon which the IW can call to get their job done better.
Formed in 2000, nVisionIT quickly established itself as an organisation at the forefront of delivering innovative solutions on the Microsoft platform. The company has been listed as one of South Africa's Most Promising Companies as well as being a Technology Top 100 finalist in recent years. nVisionIT has continued to grow from strength to strength, while keeping the focus of our locally based 50+ strong team on Integration and Custom Development. Our business is to build, extend and integrate innovative solutions on the Microsoft Platform, with a focus on financial services, government and supply chain and distribution.
For more information, please visit http://www.nvisionit.co.za.
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