Defining a framework for the evaluation of information

In any enterprise, principled decisions need be made during the entire life cycle of information about its acquisition, storage, creation, maintenance and disposal. Such information management requires some form of information evaluation to take place, yet little is understood about the process of information evaluation within enterprises. For evaluation support to be both effective and resource efficient, particularly where decisions are being made about the future of large quantities of information, it would be invaluable if some sort of automatic or semi-automatic methods were available for evaluation. Such a method would require an understanding of the diversity of the contexts in which evaluation takes place so that evaluation support can have the necessary context-sensitivity. This paper identifies the dimensions that influence the information evaluation process and defines the elements that characterize these dimensions, thus providing the foundations for a context-sensitive framework for information evaluation

Information evaluation: empirical investigations in engineering organisations

The management of information in engineering organizations is facing a particular challenge due to the ever-increasing volume of information needs to be dealt with. It has been recognized that an effective methodology is required to evaluate information in order to avoid information overload and to retain the right information for reuse. By whatever approaches, information evaluation judgments are made in those engineering organizations in order to support businesses decisions. Investigating those practical methodologies would benefit the overall information evaluation research. This paper addresses this practical information evaluation issue firstly by briefly reviewing the idea of information evaluation, the definition of value, and related research work on the value of information in various areas. Then a series of industrial empirical investigation activities, based on interviews in engineering organizations, are introduced. The evaluation approaches in those organizations are analyzed and compared according to the nature of each of the organizations. The current practices are then summarized. Finally, several further issues including the impact of the newly developed information evaluation methodologies and the implementation issues associated with this evaluation assessment method are raised

High value information in engineering organizations

The management of information in engineering organizations is facing a particular challenge in the ever-increasing volume of information. It has been recognized that an effective methodology is required to evaluate information in order to avoid information overload and to retain the right information for reuse. By using, as a starting point, a number of the current tools and techniques which attempt to obtain ‘the value’ of information, it is proposed that an assessment or filter mechanism for information is needed to be developed. This paper addresses this issue firstly by briefly reviewing the information overload problem, the definition of value, and related research work on the value of information in various areas. Then a “characteristic” based framework of information evaluation is introduced using the key characteristics identified from related work as an example. A Bayesian Network diagram method is introduced to the framework to build the linkage between the characteristics and information value in order to quantitatively calculate the quality and value of information. The training and verification process for the model is then described using 60 real engineering documents as a sample. The model gives a reasonable accurate result and the differences between the model calculation and training judgments are summarized as the potential causes are discussed. Finally several further the issues including the challenge of the framework and the implementations of this evaluation assessment method are raised

Knowledge and information evaluation practice - an exploratory study in a construction firm

There are a number of challenges associated with managing knowledge and information in construction organizations delivering major capital assets. These include the ever-increasing volumes of information, losing people because of retirement or competitors, the continuously changing nature of information, lack of methods on eliciting useful knowledge, development of new information technologies and changes in management and innovation practices. Existing tools and methodologies for valuing intangible assets in fields such as engineering, project management and financial, accounting, do not address fully the issues associated with the valuation of information and knowledge. Information is rarely recorded in a way that a document can be valued, when either produced or subsequently retrieved and re-used. In addition, there is a wealth of tacit personal knowledge which, if codified into documentary information, may prove to be very valuable to operators of the finished asset or future designers. This paper addresses the problem of information overload and identifies the differences between data, information and knowledge. An exploratory study was conducted with a leading construction consultant examining three perspectives (business, project management and document management) by structured interviews and specifically how to value information in practical terms. Major challenges in information management are identified. An through-life Information Evaluation methodology (IEM) is presented to reduce information overload and to make the information more valuable in the future

Overload of information or lack of high value information: lessons learnt from construction

Information and knowledge are strategic assets, processed to attain objectives, perform actions and make decisions. However, technological innovations can change the format of information and often result in more complicated project information or knowledge management tools whilst this can provide information to an individual more easily and quickly. Current systems have little or no regard for the value of the information they contain. As projects draw to a close, some organisations are now asking what information is worth retaining and how might it be reused. This paper addresses the problems of information overload and value in the construction industry. Exploratory studies compared two major consultants in the UK from three perspectives (business, project management and document management). Major challenges in the current information evaluation practice in the industry were identified. Information overload does exist in the industry and is getting worse because of the heavy but often inappropriate use of search and collaborative technologies. Loss of high value information due to staff leaving is a major problem, but the companies are reluctant to evaluate recorded information (before or after storage) for future retrieval. From the strategic point of view, there is a lack of information evaluation tools that quantify the benefits and costs of performing information evaluation activities and the effects on storage. Based on these findings, a through-life Information Evaluation Methodology (IEM) has been proposed to allow high value information to be easily retrievable in the future in order to support through-life knowledge and information management (KIM) practice

Immortal information and through life management (KIM): how can valuable information be available in the future?

Customers' needs are changing and organisations across all sectors are increasingly being asked not only to provide products in the first instance, but also to support them throughout their service life. At the same time, many engineering companies in defence, civil, aerospace and construction sectors are today undergoing a paradigm shift from product delivery to through-life service support. Our 3-year research project aims to identify novel business, operational and information-system models that can extend thirty years or more and help these sectors remain competitive. The project focuses on how products can best be designed and supported in this highly dynamic, network-focused environment. There are two main issues that companies have to address. Firstly, how can information be most effectively created and the knowledge gained during the design, production and subsequent operation of the product remain manageable and accessible to the diverse community that may need access throughout the life of the product. Secondly, should they put in place suitable organisational resources and decision-making methods to work effectively in this new business paradigm. This paper first makes a brief review of the project, and then discusses the research concerned with the value of information

Information in engineering and construction organisations: what is it worth?

The management of information in engineering and construction organisations is facing a challenge due to the ever-increasing volume of information needs to be dealt with. This paper addresses the problems of information overload and value in the construction and engineering industries. Based on some exploratory studies on major engineering and construction organisations in the UK, major challenges in the current information evaluation practice in these two industries were identified. A through-life Information Evaluation Methodology (IEM) is proposed at the end to allow high value information to be easily retrievable in the future in order to support through-life knowledge and information management (K&IM) practice

К проблеме актуализации межкультурной толерантности

Throughout the engineering design process, engineers make decisions based on various information sources without formally judging the value and quality of information. With a wide range of information characteristics available to assess information, the question to the engineers is, “is it possible to establish a metrics to theoretically assess the credibility and value of information within the context of engineering design when they create, store and retrieve the information?” This paper first makes a brief review of the works that are related to assigning “value” to information with the focus being put on analyzing existing information valuing methodologies. In particular, the paper investigates and summarizes the information characteristics involved in these models and methodologies. Together with the fieldwork conducted in a number of global engineering and construction companies, the key information characteristics that are critical to information evaluation are identified. Finally the paper introduces an Information Evaluation Model (IEM) that uses the identified information characteristics as the assessment criteria to judge the value of information

Information evaluation practice: learning across aerospace and construction sectors

The management of information in aerospace and construction organizations is facing a challenge due to the ever-increasing volume of information needs to be dealt with. Current ICT systems have little or no regard to the value of the information they contain. As projects draw to a close, the team dismantles and some senior mangers even retire. These lead to a loss of high value knowledge. This paper addresses the problems of information overload and value in the aerospace and construction industries. Based on two exploratory studies on a major aerospace and a construction organization in the UK, major challenges in the current information evaluation practice were identified. Information is proved to be overloading and high value information is being lost from senior managers. Finally, a through-life Information Evaluation Methodology (IEM) is proposed to allow high value information to be easily retrievable in the future in order to support through-life knowledge and information management (KIM) practice