Insight 2 from Research Focus - future-proof your information service
Jinfo Blog

By Robin Neidorf

Abstract

In the second insight from the Research Focus, "Benchmark information services - optimise your structure", Jinfo's director of research, Robin Neidorf, looks at why it's essential to assume information services work will change dramatically in 36 months time, and how to prepare for the changes.

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The second main insight from Jinfo's Research Focus, "Benchmark information services - optimise your structure" is that the best information services operate under the assumption that their work and value will look entirely different in three years, compared with today.

Reinvention every 36 months demands that you operate today with a different set of priorities. Planning for the future cannot be treated as a twice-a-year planning process but instead must be a fundamental aspect of how you and your team take on every single daily task.

Most organisations we work with focus first on delivering top-notch services to their customers. In fact, your first focus needs to be finding ways to streamline, automate, outsource, push back or stop doing those services.

At the same time, it's essential to place a premium on investigating innovations: what will the "smart office" look like in three years? What expectations from their consumer lives will stakeholders bring next into their business interactions with information? How will artificial intelligence show up most effectively in the business, and what is the role of information experts in supporting it?

The future-proofed information service takes control of the inevitable: many, if not most, of the day-to-day tasks of a busy service can be done more cheaply or more efficiently... and history tells us that these shifts will happen. New disruptions will continue to shake up information delivery, usage and management.

Take control of these certainties through the following:

1. Always be shedding work - streamline, automate, outsource, push back or stop doing.
   
   
2. Be building inspiration and innovation into the expected and regular workflow of you and your team.
   
   
3. Focus on developing, coaching and hiring for characteristics of perpetual curiosity, entrepreneurship and laser focus on meeting the needs of the future customer, not just the current one.

A future-proofed information service is the one that leans into change - not as a periodic planning project, but part of every task, every day.

Get started right away: leverage Jinfo's research and experience

Free: key insights

The main lessons learned in this three-month Research Focus, plus a thematic index to all content published, are listed in the "Insights and Actions" report for the Research Focus, "Benchmark information roles - optimise your structure".

Non-subscribers: request a free copy by registering your interest.

Subscribers: sign in now to download your copy and access all premium content.

Content

The content in the current Research Focus, "Benchmark information roles - optimise your structure", investigates the concept of innovation, and how successful information managers inspire, encourage and run operations to enhance it. Your Jinfo Subscription provides access to these items.
Use these items from the Research Focus for specific guidance (paid subscription):

• Information centres in unusual places
• Jinfo research on benchmarking information services (understanding the environment)
• Jinfo research on benchmarking information services (customers and services)
• Jinfo research on benchmarking information services (measuring success)
• Jinfo research on benchmarking information services (user needs are changing)

The following webinars will also be useful (paid subscription):

• 12th September: Future-proof your service by refocusing on higher-value work

Community

Join your peer group in Jinfo Community sessions to work on these issues (paid subscription, with Community option included):

• 19th July: Inspire your information team to think innovatively
• 20th September: Managing continuous reinvention of your information services

Consulting

Jinfo Consulting is working with customers today to re-engineer operations, devise new staff development programmes and coach teams on integrating innovation in workflow. Contact us to learn how we can help you.

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