Information Resource Management

The underlying philosophy behind Information Resource Management (IRM) is to design, inventory and control all of the resources required to produce information. When standardized and controlled, these resources can be shared and re-used throughout the corporation, not just by a single user or application.
There are three classes of information resources:

 

• BUSINESS RESOURCES - Enterprises, Business Functions, Positions (Jobs), Human/Machine Resources, Skills, Business Objectives, Projects, and Information Requirements.

• SYSTEM RESOURCES - Systems, Sub-Systems (business processes), Administrative Procedures (manual procedures and office automation related), Computer Procedures, Programs, Operational Steps, Modules, and Subroutines.

• DATA RESOURCES - Data Elements, Storage Records, Files (computer and manual), Views, Objects, Inputs, Outputs, Panels, Maps, Call Parameters, and Data Bases.

These three classes of information resources provide the rationale as to why there are three complementary methodologies within "PRIDE".

• ENTERPRISE ENGINEERING METHODOLOGY (EEM) - for defining the mission and goals of the business and the development of an Enterprise Information Strategy synchronized with the business.

• INFORMATION SYSTEMS ENGINEERING METHODOLOGY (ISEM) - for designing and building enterprise-wide information systems (business processes crossing organizational boundaries). Software Engineering is considered a subset of ISEM.

• DATA BASE ENGINEERING METHODOLOGY (DBEM) - to design and develop the corporate data base, both logically and physically.

Each methodology consists of a series of defined phases, activities and operations. Laced throughout the methodologies are defined deliverables and review points to substantiate completeness and to provide an effective dialog between management and developers. The methodologies promote design correctness and the production of a quality product.
IRM/MRP ANALOGY
The concept of Information Resource Management is actually no different in intent than "Materials Resource Planning" (MRP) as used in manufacturing. Both are concerned with the efficient and cost effective use of resources. The classification and control of resources are the main objectives. Resources are classified to prove their uniqueness so that redundancy is not introduced and to promote sharing. Control is required to collect, inventory and retrieve resources as required by the business.
Whereas MRP is concerned with managing products and the parts required to produce them, IRM is concerned with managing information and the resources required to produce it.
One of the important by-products of cataloging and cross-referencing information resources is a model of the enterprise, including how it is organized and how it operates. Other benefits include:

• All information resources are controllable, permitting the ability to design integrated systems and perform an "impact analysis" of a proposed resource change.

• Simplified search of information resources for reuse. Redundancy of resource definition is eliminated.

• Complete and current documentation of all information resources, in an organized and meaningful way.

• Communications within the organization is improved since developers and users would use standard and common definitions for information resources, all of which would be in standard business terminology.

Techniques of Information resource management

Techniques of Information Resource Management are derived from the fields that have been associated with the Information Systems.
These can be listed as follows:

1. Database design and development that is derived from Computer sciences.
2. Classification of data and information retrieval that is derived from librarian and Information sciences.
3. Document life cycle that is derived from Records management.
4. Information Systems and Technology Audits that is derived from other Audit Systems like finance, communication, energy etc. and Organizational psychology.
5. Cost-benefit analysis and valuation of Information resource that is derived from Finance and Business management.