There
is a consistent gap between users expectations
regarding Information Quality (IQ) and the
perceived quality of the information they
are using. An explicit approach to IQ is
required, meaning that all stakeholders
should specify in detail the IQ requirements,
design them into the information solutions
and track their fulfillment.
Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management
approach aimed at satisfying all customer
requirements, needs and expectations using
a Continuous Improvement approach .The TQM
principles can be grouped into the following
practical and common sense concepts (Hari,
1995):
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Customer
Focus (internal and external customers)
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Leadership
(management role changes to active
leadership) |
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Teamwork
(multi-disciplinary teams, including
involvement of customers and suppliers |
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Continuous Improvement
of processes |
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Measurement (the improvement
process is based on quantitative and
qualitative metrics) |
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Benchmarking as a driver
to improvement in a competitive environment
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Management should demonstrate leadership
by:
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recognizing
IQ as a strategic issue, |
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Allocating the
appropriate resources to IQ improvement-
capital, management attention, vision
and priorities. |
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Setting
an example as the first to require,
use or provide better quality information.
This role is the responsibility
of all management levels, from the
company president down to team leaders.
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The modern quality paradigms emphasize the
importance of customer satisfaction as a
driver to the improvement process. IQ improvement
efforts should focus on the identification
of users, specification of their true IQ
needs, and fulfillment of these requirements.
The "voice of the customer" should
lead the entire improvement process.
Specification of IQ needs and metrics, as
well as fulfillment control are based on
teamwork operation. All stakeholders are
included in the team. A typical team hosts
representatives from the information users'
group, information providers, information
solutions' suppliers, information organization
and other relevant parties. A certain level
of management participation is required
as well. All the above functions are responsible
for higher quality of information.
The information user needs is translated
into measurable specifications. These specifications
should be designed into the information
solution. Once the solution is provided,
the solution's actual performance is assessed
against the requirements, and effectively
against user needs.
In order to achieve "world class"
IQ, it is necessary to explore what IQ levels
are achieved in the "external world".
We refer here to other functions in your
organization, other organizations in your
industry or even other industries and professional
domains. Benchmarking supports the IQ improvement
team in setting high but realistic targets
that energize the process. Benchmarking
is also a useful tool to discover new and
practicable metrics and methods to measure
IQ.
In the field of IQ, quality improvement
efforts are not a one time effort. There
are two aspects to this concept: cultural
and methodological.
The cultural aspect: In
a culture that promotes IQ continuous improvement,
each member deals with the following questions:
What is the meaning of high quality information?
How is it defined and measured? Do I require,
obtain and use high quality information?
Do I provide such information? What must
I do in order to get or provide better information?
The methodology aspect:
The cultural aspects of IQ are beyond this
paper's scope. However, it should be noted
that IQ culture cannot be achieved by having
the company president stating "Information
is critical, lets improve it continuously."
Rather, it should be deployed via a series
of practicable improvement activities that
can help create the common language and
behavioral habits of an IQ culture.
Once completed, the cycle is reiterated
in order to achieve further improvements.
