Stage 1: Define the scope of the strategy and the approach

The process needed to start with agreement on the scope of the Information Strategy. It was too simplistic to say it needed to cover all information; on the other hand, it would have been too restrictive to limit it to management or administrative information. The scope would be defined to meet the key business objectives and priorities of the institution. However, it was often more manageable to identify projects which could be used to gain experience of the process, at low risk and low cost, which could show practical and demonstrable improvements.

One of the strengths of the guidelines was that the approach could be adapted to suit the needs of the institution. The scope of the information strategy at the pilot/exemplar sites varied from a whole institution approach to one which was confined to a couple of departments or a core process.

The Vision approach was a whole institution approach and asked the question, what would be the characteristics of the institution with its particular mission, with an effective information strategy? Both Bath Spa and Birkbeck two very different institutions adopted this approach and used it in two very different ways.

Bath Spa University College produced an Information Strategy Document which was widely understood within the institution. The Vision Approach enabled the College to work with a common purpose towards achieving the Vision and a number of projects were developed to achieve this end'

Bath Spa Case Study

Birkbeck redefined its vision in terms of information goals and principles to enforce the practical nature of the exercise and prioritised student information needs. The information strategy work focused on addressing the weaknesses, blockages and gaps in the institution's handling of information. Interestingly a revised version of the information principles has survived to be part of Birkbeck's current Information Strategy.

Many of the other Pilot/Exemplar Sites identified projects around the information needs of particular departments or units (Glamorgan, Open University, Belfast) or of particular processes such as Assessment (North London, Worcester) or of particular projects or initiatives already planned or underway in the institution (Glasgow, Leeds). This enabled them to gain experience of the process with the chance of gaining some practical improvements and to undertake a more detailed analysis for the areas chosen for the Information Needs Analysis. It was important to get the balance right between projects that were manageable and those that involved a significantly wide cross section of the community.

In the early days of the pilot, the problems of dealing with a large, ancient, highly devolved organisation seemed very difficult to address. This resulted in the approach which tried to manage that problem by focusing on a small number of project areas. This approach got the pilot activity started, but did not encourage as wide a level of participation across the institution as might have been desirable... Don't define the scope of the activity too narrowly

Glasgow Case Study

Understand the organisation

Whatever the scope of the information strategy it was important to establish the context within which any strategy would operate. The starting point for this was an understanding of the institution, what it was trying to achieve, where it was trying to go, how it went about its business, and how it saw itself and its outside world (Orna 2004).

This work often started with a gathering together of all relevant strategies (e.g Institutional Strategic Plan, Teaching and Learning Strategy, Research Strategy, Information Technology Strategy, Finance Strategy, Management Information Strategy) and identifying the key elements for the Information Strategy, and a scan of the external environment. This was followed by a discussion with the relevant staff to understand whether the strategies were still being acted on or if the institution had moved on.

This work was useful to get a picture of 'what should be' and how an Information Strategy can contribute to the overall Strategic Plan. It also helped to identify how much of an Information Strategy had already been covered by existing Strategies (e.g. an information systems strategy) and to build on what already existed. Establishing a context was a point from which the scope of the strategy could be revisited as it provided a clearer picture of the institution's priorities and could identify whether or not the Information Strategy would address these.

Plan the process

Once the initial top level analysis was undertaken, Senior management agreement was required for the need for an information strategy and what its objectives should be as well as the resources required for the information audit.

The information Strategy was defined as a process for achieving change in attitudes, working practices and processes and, therefore, of necessity would involve a large number people. It was vital that all those involved understood not only the need for the change, but also accepted and followed the change. To achieve this, the project needed to be well planned, with clear responsibilities specified for developing the strategy. The plan should have included a map of the process itself, starting from a terms of reference. This could best be viewed as a project plan in its own right with stages, tasks, fixed points and a timetable.

The Pilot/Exemplar sites stressed the importance of getting the support of the wider community through continuous dialogue. They did this in various ways.

The need to demonstrate the relevance of the project required extensive communication and presentations at meetings; and the importance of linking in with other areas of work already underway in the organisation e.g. Training programmes etc.

Belfast Case study

University community was informed regularly by Newsletter and website

North London Case study

'It is Important to create a 'buzz'. Either through embedding the process into the existing committee structures or workshops or newsletters'

Participant in the JISI, interviewed 2008