Practical action on Jinfo's benchmarking Research Focus, from a senior information manager's perspective
Jinfo Blog

By Catherine Dhanjal

Abstract

The Insights and Actions Report from the Research Focus, "Benchmark information roles - optimise your structure" is available now for all site visitors. We asked a senior information manager, how they and their team have been using the benchmarking resources from the Research Focus.

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How are the articles, webinars and Community sessions from Research Focus "Benchmark information roles - optimise your structure" being used?

We spoke to one of our Subscribers, who shared with us what they have learned from the current Research Focus and how they will use this in future work.

Jinfo: What did you find most valuable about the Research Focus?

Information manager: At the moment we're looking at what we're doing in terms of our portfolio of research and content services and to envision what we want to look like in 3 years.

The benchmark information is helping us to understand what other information services that report into HR (like us) are doing and what others are doing that have different reporting lines.

For example, we're considering whether we want to get into KM or data analytics or stick with the core services we're already providing. We looked at the benchmarking report as a team and it resonated with us in terms of how organisations are providing those services and how they understand those big buckets.

It's prompted us to look at the spectrum of our services and reshape our thinking around areas such as:

• Are we focusing around what we provide for self-service in the right way?
• Are we focusing on the high touch side in the right way?

There may be services we want to offer around content creation or around bringing more value to our research services through data analytics, awareness and other opportunities like that. We're very much at the beginning of the process but the research gave us a great place to start to shape that conversation.

Jinfo: Were there any articles or reports which you found particularly useful?

Information manager: We were primarily looking at and using the "Insights and Actions report" from July - this provided a great baseline in all the key areas like understanding the environment, customers and services provided. We will also dive back into the measures piece at a later date.

The analysis around changes in user needs really resonates with us in many ways, as we're experiencing the same thing we saw reflected in that report. It really is an indicator that we're going in the right direction.

One of the quotes I highlighted was along the lines of "your services are going to look entirely different in three years". This is a guiding principle for us now and will continue to be a guiding principle going forward.

Jinfo: How did it affect your thinking?

Information manager: Every two weeks we have meetings to continue the conversation and share any other topics that come up - such as "what are the specifics around engaging with a particular group with whom you want to share particular high-level insights?"

We'd like to understand that piece in terms of how other organisations tackle it. For example, are there best practices or examples of other organisations pursuing a new strategic group, how did they work with them and measure the success of working and engaging with them? Jinfo's director of research, Robin Neidorf, was able to share some insights with us and this helped us benchmark the approach we've been using and to get some ideas of ways to improve that process. 

One of the major things the benchmarking Focus has done for us is to help confirm and normalise our approach and what we're doing and our thinking around it. It's also highlighted some considerations for what we would want to focus on as we continue to drive this forward.

Jinfo: How does Jinfo help you to stay ahead of the curve on technology developments and gain other insights?

Information manager: The benchmarking research gives us a good reason to dive into the resources and to make the time to look at the other areas we're interested in but which keep getting pushed to the bottom of the priority list.

For example, a colleague in another part of the company is looking at ontology tools - so we'll be looking at what kind of materials are available on Jinfo. It's those instances and "aha" moments that make Jinfo really valuable.

Similarly, talking to Robin Neidorf about the benchmarking focus was another invaluable moment.

Find out more

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

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