The Changing Role of Information Professionals:

New Opportunities Created by Enterprise 2.0 and Social Business

Larry Hawes, Principal

SLA Pharma and Health Technology Division Spring MeetingPhiladelphia, PA

April 12, 2010

Chapter 1: Meetthe Main Characters

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Special Libraries Association Mission

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SLA Information Professional Role Description

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Chapter 2: Along Came a Spider

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What is Enterprise 2.0?: Andrew McAfee

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“Enterprise 2.0 is the use of emergent social software platforms by organizations

in pursuit of their goals.”

• blogs• wikis• profiles• social networking• bookmarking• media sharing• microblogging• activity streams

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What is Enterprise Social Software?: Wikipedia

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“Enterprise social software (also known as a major component of Enterprise 2.0), comprises social software as used in “enterprise” (business/commercial) contexts. In contrast to traditional enterprise software, which imposes structure

prior to use, enterprise social software tends to encourage use prior to providing structure.”

2000Documents

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What is Social Business?: My Take

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Social Business recognizes people as valuable sources of information and knowledge. It supports their efforts to

connect, learn from, and work with each other.

2000Documents

2010People

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Gartner: $700M Market by 2011

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Source: Gartner, Business Innovation Will Come From Organizational Openness (November, 2007)

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Forrester Research: $4.6B Market by 2013

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Source: Forrester Research, Global Enterprise Web 2.0 Market Forecast: 2007 To 2013 (April, 2008)

Chapter 3: The Plot Thickens

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SLA Mission as Stated in Logo

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and Knowledge

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SLA Information Professional Role Description

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SLA Professional Competencies for Information Professionals

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A. Managing Information Organizations

B. Managing Information Resources

B.2 Builds a dynamic collection of information resources based on a deep understanding of clients’ information needs and their learning, work and/or business processes. B.3 Demonstrates expert knowledge of the content and format of information resources, including the ability to critically evaluate, select and filter them. B.4 Provides access to the best available externally published and internally created information resources and deploys content throughout the organization using a suite of information access tools. B.5 Negotiates the purchase and licensing of needed information products and services. B.6 Develops information policies for the organization regarding externally published and internally created information resources and advises on the implementation of these policies.

C. Managing Information Services

C.1 Develops and maintains a portfolio of cost-effective, client-valued information services that are aligned with the strategic directions of the organization and client groups. C.2 Conducts market research of the information behaviors and problems of current and potential client groups to identify concepts for new or enhanced information solutions for these groups. Transforms these concepts into customized information products and services. C.3 Researches, analyzes and synthesizes information into accurate answers or actionable information for clients, and ensures that clients have the tools or capabilities to immediately apply these. C.4 Develops and applies appropriate metrics to continually measure the quality and value of information offerings, and to take appropriate action to ensure each offering’s relevancy within the portfolio. C.5 Employs evidence-based management to demonstrate the value of and continually improve information sources and services.

A.4 Contributes effectively to senior management strategies and decisions regarding information applications, tools and technologies, and policies for the organization. A.6 Markets information services and products, both formally and informally, through web and physical communication collateral, presentations, publications and conversations. A.7 Gathers the best available evidence to support decisions about the development of new service and products, the modification of current services or the elimination of services to continually improve the array of information services offered.

D. Applying Information Tools & Technologies

D.1 Assesses, selects and applies current and emerging information tools and creates information access and delivery solutions

D.4 Maintains current awareness of emerging technologies that may not be currently relevant but may become relevant tools of future information resources, services or applications

Competencies for Information Professionals of the 21st Century

Revised edition, June 2003

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SLA Personal Competencies for Information Professionals

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Personal Competencies Every information professional:

- Seeks out challenges and capitalizes on new opportunities - Sees the big picture - Communicates effectively - Presents ideas clearly; negotiates confidently and persuasively - Creates partnerships and alliances - Builds an environment of mutual respect and trust; respects and values diversity - Employs a team approach; recognizes the balance of collaborating, leading and following - Takes calculated risks; shows courage and tenacity when faced with opposition - Demonstrates personal career planning - Thinks creatively and innovatively; seeks new or ‘reinventing’ opportunities - Recognizes the value of professional networking and personal career planning - Remains flexible and positive in a time of continuing change

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How Can You Use Web 2.0 Tools?

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Source: McKinsey Global Survey Results: Building the Web 2.0 Enterprise (June, 2008)

Chapter 4: A Tale ofTwo Practitioners

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Story 1: Mary Maida, Medtronic

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• Librarian, Rosemount Engineering

• Information Specialist, Teltech

• Principal Information Specialist, Medtronic

• Information Solutions Manager, Medtronic

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Story 1: Mary Maida, Medtronic

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Interest in E2.0 & Social Business

Job Changes: Intentional or Organic

Role Duties: Traditional v. New

Community Aspect

Colleagues Making Similar Moves

Tie to Corporate Strategy

Results

Advice

Has always liked working with people. Training experience. Saw new potential to locate information and people to answer questions.

Primarily organic. Gravitated to new opportunities on her own, not pushed by management. Additive to her duties, but a natural extension and not huge additional workload.

Changes have been within traditional librarian role. Every new job has had those core aspects, but with different emphasis. Lit searching, training, website development -- all helped prepare her for social efforts.

Already had a great personal network in place before social collaboration tools were introduced, so it was a natural transition to a community facilitator role.

Medtronic has 3 leaders of specific communities (copywrite, information searchers, "presenting well") that were traditional info pros as well. They also have some people that are leading info-oriented communities.

Mary and her colleagues are part of larger innovation efforts at Medtronic. Connect people to share ideas and get to market faster. Work better across geographies and businesses.

Focus reporting on active engagement. Traditional metrics: # of visits, discussions. Collect and communicate stories. Effort is too new (5 mo.) to have sophisticated metrics or impact assessment in place yet.

See your role as being optimal facilitator, not gatekeeper. Make info & knowledge obvious. Bring other knowledge workers together; encourage them to help each other. Others are looking for you to lead.

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Story 2: Jane

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• Library Assistant

• Information Research Professional

• Business Integration Analyst

Employers have included Bristol-Myers Squibb, McNeil/Ortho, and Princeton University

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Story 2: Jane

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Interest in E2.0 & Social Business

Job Changes: Intentional or Organic

Role Duties: Traditional v. New

Community Aspect

Colleagues Making Similar Moves

Tie to Corporate Strategy

Results

Advice

Started doing surveys and interviews to identify new products and services we could offer.  Began to realize that Usability and User Experience was becoming more and more important.

Organic at first, then forced. Tried to make Usability a strategic priority, but re-org brought a new manager who didn’t see value. Dedicated group was disbanded.

No traditional library work. 50% Usability needs analysis via surveys, focus groups, interviews. Other 50% is solution UAT and deployment.

No formal community facilitation responsibilities.

Very few pharmaceutical companies concerned with Usability. Most colleagues were hesitant to emphasis it too much.

Seen by their group as an attempt to become more agile and entrepreneurial, but this was really a stretch for most observers. Corporate emphasis on cost cutting opposed investment here.

Did not have time to collect metrics.

Talk to your users, ask questions, and act on what you learn. Respond by creating solutions for them yourself or, even better, collaborating with them to do so.

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What Can We Learn from These Stories?

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• Stretch yourself; others are looking for leaders and examples

• Reduce personal career risk by gradually adding E2.0 and Social Business activities to your traditional role, not by making an abrupt position change

• It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks, but it can be done

• Reuse accepted value messages when describing desired actions and anticipated benefits

• Seek and leverage support from others in similar roles outside of your organization

Chapter 5: Our HeroLeaps into Action

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Your Call to Action

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• Learn what social information sources exist in your organization and engage with them

• Add social to your job responsibilities

• Be a Community Facilitator; work your existing corporate social network

• Tie personal efforts and results to stated business strategy and objectives

• Set and monitor progress toward measurable goals for your efforts

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Carpe Diem

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Thank You!

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