The Design And Implementation Of A Database System To Help Determine The Information Needs Of A Knowledge Based Organization
Schubert Shou-Boon Foo, Mark E. Hepworth · 2000
One of the most difficult aspects of deriving an information management plan for a large knowledge based enterprise is to determine what information people require to do their various tasks as well as help them expand and update their existing knowledge. Defining the information needs of the organisation as a whole is a necessary part of a systematic process of becoming such an enterprise. This paper provides an overview of a methodology used to elicit the information needs of an organisation. The focus however is on the design and implementation of two databases that were used to support this process. These databases proved to be extremely useful for organising the qualitative and quantitative data derived from the information needs analysis research and also for analysing and presenting the findings. The organization, namely, the Singapore Productivity and Standards Board, whose role is to enhance the productivity of business and industry in Singapore, employs approximately 1000 people. The use of database technology combined with networked access to staff facilitated the capture and analysis of the information needs of a large number of people in a short period of time. A description is given of the database design; database implementation; the queries supported by the database as well as the exporting of data to other applications to help visualize information needs.