Information Science – An Essential Part of Business Process Management

“The Information Age” has ushered in a new phase of global business. In an information driven economy, information is processed, arranged and controlled in a systematic manner. It allows quick decision making and provides context for existing data. For instance, a single consumer’s sale at a popular restaurant is data ingested by the restaurant and becomes information if the company is able to identify which food is less or more popular. The data fed by such techniques is usually targeted toward particular business opportunities.

Information science is one such discipline. The discipline studies how information is processed and created. The field includes knowledge management, information systems, strategic management, information systems design, business intelligence, information visualization and web-based applications. In the broadest sense, it is about the management of information that is used to make decisions. The key role is played by the managers and leaders who get the information and organize it in such a way that it informs and guides their strategic business activities.

The objective of information management is to satisfy the various needs of the business. This can be done through systems development, which involves the use of information science principles and practices to improve the system. Information technology delivers information to the appropriate personnel and is therefore part of this process.

Information science applies various theories in order to understand and analyze information. One such is modeling, which is about the proper handling and organization of data that can have a large influence on decision making. Another is decision making through synthesis, which looks at how different pieces of information can be brought together to form a decision. Information management also takes care of the storage, retrieval, preservation and distribution of information. These processes are carried out by various professionals such as network planners, information system analysts, computer software managers, information systems administrators and information systems architects.

Information science helps you predict the future of the information system. With this knowledge you can make changes that can eliminate or reduce information loss. One such example is using email. Emails are increasingly being used because they are very easy to retrieve and they have a lot of information contained within them, some of which may not be readily obvious to the users.

Information systems have become an integral part of the business process. It deals with the information delivery process and it provides information to the users. This is the backbone of a well-organized and developed information system. Information science is a useful tool in improving the way businesses are managed. Its goal is to provide information that improves the process and accuracy of decision-making.