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Accurate See previous slides

Complete See previous slides

Up-to-date See previous slides

Relevant Information should not include data that is not needed. Receiving more information than is needed can lead to information overload and the information needed to be able to make effective decisions becomes lost amongst data that is not needed.

Correctly targeted

Information should be presented to the people who need it. Giving information to people who don’t need it can lead to information overload. It can also create confusion and could result in confidential information being in the wrong hands

Topic 3: Quality of Topic 3: Quality of InformationInformation

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Understandable Information should be set out in a clear format that is appropriate for the intended audience. Who might that be?

Timely Accurate information must be available when needed. No decision should be based on ‘accurate’ information which is 2 weeks old!

Has user confidence Information should have the confidence of the users. If the user believes the data is inaccurate or the original source of the data is unreliable then the information will be useless to them. No decision can be made based on such information.

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Processing DataProcessing Data

Often there is too much data to be Often there is too much data to be processed in order to find the processed in order to find the information you want, e.g. information you want, e.g. CCTV footageCCTV footage Mobile phone recordsMobile phone records Witness statementsWitness statements

Large amounts of data need a Large amounts of data need a powerful computer coupled with powerful computer coupled with sophisticated softwaresophisticated software

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How to find informationHow to find information

Information can be collected from many Information can be collected from many different sources. Some will be on-line or different sources. Some will be on-line or electronic methods and others from paper-electronic methods and others from paper-based sources and interviews.based sources and interviews.

On-Line Sources Non-ICT Sources

Internet Newspapers

Intranet Magazines

CD-Rom/DVD Catalogues

Text books/Encyclopaedias

Interviews/Questionnaires

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On-LineOn-Line

Advantages Disadvantages

AvailabilityExpensive to buy/use some specialist

CDs

Up-to-date Quality not always guaranteed

Quantity Difficult to find the right information

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Non-ICT sourcesNon-ICT sources

Advantages Disadvantages

Cheaper (no equipment needed)

Out-of-date as soon as published

Quality assured Can be bulky or heavy

Easy to use

Accessible anywhere by anyone

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Internal informationInternal information

Sales detailsSales details CustomersCustomers Stock levelsStock levels Supplier contact informationSupplier contact information Personnel recordsPersonnel records

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External informationExternal information

Organisations can subscribe to other Organisations can subscribe to other organisations that:organisations that: Supply credit information about customersSupply credit information about customers Collect marketing information about the Collect marketing information about the

population in generalpopulation in general Companies can pay for lists of customers Companies can pay for lists of customers

who have certain profile or who have certain profile or characteristics, which could mean that characteristics, which could mean that they would be interested in your productsthey would be interested in your products

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On-line information On-line information sourcessources

Intranet Intranet Uses Internet technology for internal networks Uses Internet technology for internal networks

that can only be accessed by staff within the that can only be accessed by staff within the organisationorganisation

Enables information to be shared across the Enables information to be shared across the organisation, e.g. stock availability (in all organisation, e.g. stock availability (in all branches)branches)

InternetInternet Huge amounts of informationHuge amounts of information Organisations can subscribe to services which Organisations can subscribe to services which

provide them with the information they needprovide them with the information they need

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SourcesSources Data can be collected from many sources, Data can be collected from many sources,

either: either: directly - collected for a specific purposedirectly - collected for a specific purpose

For example, library or payrollFor example, library or payroll

Indirectly - derived from data originally collected Indirectly - derived from data originally collected for an entirely different purpose for an entirely different purpose

Information collected from credit card useInformation collected from credit card use Shopping patternsShopping patterns Used to target marketing campaignsUsed to target marketing campaigns