Making Knowledge Visible: Communicating Knowledge Through Information Products

This ground-breaking book opens up new territory for knowledge and information management. The only way we can make what we know visible to other people is by putting it into Information Products - the products, in any medium, where users meet the information they need, and gain access to the knowledge of others. Without them, little business would get done inside organizations or between them and the outside world. They are essential for the flow, exchange, application, and preservation of information and knowledge. This is the first book to make the case for the proper recognition of information products by organizations. It shows how they should support business objectives and processes and be incorporated into information strategy and information architecture; illustrates the value they can both add and subtract; identifies the full range of stakeholders in them; and argues that a triple alliance of information management, information systems/IT, and information design is critical for successful information products. Stories from real life illustrate every step of the argument. The final part of the book demonstrates how an actual organization used information auditing as a tool to develop a strategic information product for an important user community.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Foreword. Part 1 Basic Ideas: Before we begin; No business without information products. Part 2 Information Products in the Organisational Context: Introduction - The context of information products; The business of the organisation; The value that IPs add (and subtract); The stakeholders and their interests. Part 3 In Support of IPs; Introduction; Knowledge and information management in support of IPs; Infrastructure for IPs: information systems, technology tools; Information design, reconciler of conflicting constraints. Part 4 Action for IP Value - a Practical Process: Introduction; An information auditing approach; Making a start; Auditing information products; Into action for value from IPs; Index.

About the Author :
Elizabeth Orna is the author of Practical Information Policies (Ed2,1999) and Information Strategy in Practice (2004), and co-author with Charles Pettitt of Information Management in Museums (1998), all published by Gower. Described by a reviewer as 'too good to be a guru', she is a an information consultant and writer well known for her extraordinary insight and lucidity. She lectures internationally on information management and information presentation.

Review :
'This book is aimed at information and systems analysts and managers, web designers, communication specialists, plus teachers and students of business management. I think librarians, project managers, and business consultants would also have a lot to learn from what she has to say.' Mantex, August 2005 'I would recommend this book. Indeed, i'm looking forward to exploring in greater depth some of the points raised within its pages with my IT colleagues...it would also be of great use to information workers in small companies, whose practices aren't quite in line with how things should be. Buy it!' Free Pint, March 2006 'I always like books authored by Elizabeth Orna...I have no doubt that this book has already attracted and will attract the attention of a wide public interested in information and knowledge organizations'.'Information Research 'This is such a "neat" book in many ways that i found myself picking it up again and again just to flip through and read paragraphs almost randomly. There was always something worth reading whatever the page...I recommend it to anyone involved with KM, with document production in an organization, web content managers, and IS and LIM academics.' Online Information Review ’If this book sounds dry and theoretical it is not. Copious use is made of clever diagramsto illustrate concepts, and there are many, many fascinating case studies.’ CILIP Update 'It is good value for money - an excellent addition to anyone's library.' Library Management