Knowledge organisation in a Web‐based environment
Reviews the approaches to the organisation of knowledge in Web‐based environments. The control and structure helps searchers to locate information and services, but only provided that searchers understand and relate to the terms and information structure designed into the system. The other alternative is for the searcher to specify the topic of their search through the use of keywords. These keywords are in the natural language of the searcher, which may or not be coincident with the natural language of the Web sites being searched by the search engine. In order to negotiate the variability of natural language the searcher needs to learn to use more advanced search features such as Boolean searching, nesting and truncation. The knowledge organisation issues associated with access to and retrieval from large databases, such as those that are searched across the Web, are significant and need careful and specialist attention.
Drowning in information, but thirsty for knowledge
A lack of structure, not the amount, is the reason for our growing inability to cope with information today. Through the advances in information technology, information has lost the connection with its carrier; therefore, the medium can no longer be used as a reliable indicator of information type. The classical methods of information handling are not sufficient for the growing amount and the new forms of information. In an information society, the individual needs a more comprehensive system of information management. The suggestion is to use four universal structuring dimensions - selection, time, hierarchy and sequence - and apply them to information, regardless of the information carrier. Information producers, as well as information consumers, can use this tool-set to profit more fully from the growing mass of information.
Revitalizing executive information systems.
As the saying goes, "garbage in, garbage out"--and this is as true for executive information systems as for any other computer system. Crockett presents a methodology he has used with clients to help them develop more useful systems that produce higher quality information. The key is to develop performance measures based on critical success factors and stakeholder expectations and then to link them cross functionally to show how progress is being made on strategic goals. Feedback from the executive information system then informs strategy formulation, business plan development, and operational activities.