Information As Product Book Introduction

 Introduction

 

 

“The customer is the most important part of the production line”[1]

                                    - Dr. W. Edwards Deming, Out of the Crisis

 

 

            Whether for homeland security, regulatory compliance or patient medical records; the role of information in our society has reached a critical juncture. In the past five years, I have delved deeply into data design, enterprise data management and information sharing - along the way I have uncovered flaws and gained new insights into achieving information superiority.  As a result of that process, this book provides practical and concrete techniques for organizations to reach higher levels of agility, effectiveness and efficiency by treating information just as they do tangible products.  This is the central idea of this book:

Manufacture consumer-centric information products
just as we do physical products.

 

Only after truly understanding the above, can you hope to deliver the right information to the right person at the right time; for those are applications of the more basic information production process. In other words, before you can deliver information, you must understand how information is constructed from data and metadata.  Additionally, your organization must be willing to shift key processes from a producer/data orientation to a consumer/information orientation.

An information product is an enhanced, virtual analogue to a physical product just like the can of food in a grocery store as depicted in Figure 1.

Figure 1   A Physical Product with Packaging and Labeling[2]

            A physical product, like the can of food in Figure 1, is produced, packaged, labeled and advertised to consumers to satisfy a specific need.  Our data is analogous to the food inside the can – however, we don’t go to the store and scoop out raw food from unmarked bins?  So, why do we get our data that way, in a raw, unprocessed form?

The central point of this book is the shift away from raw data towards a concrete specification for information products.  This understanding came about over many months in working with numerous data architects from across the federal government to define the Federal Enterprise Architecture’s Data Reference Model[3].  As a group we exposed numerous fallacies, misunderstandings and flaws about data, metadata and information exchanges.  You may be amazed to discover how little we know about creating information instead of just shuffling around bits of data.  Our inability to reliably distinguish data from information breeds a lack of trust in IT from the business managers.  In turn, such lack of trust holds back the progress and promise in the information revolution by turning phrases like “the paperless office” into jokes.   The solution offered in this book is to define a repeatable process to create, assemble and deliver information products.  This requires understanding how you “productize” data to create information.  How you package it, label it and store it.

 

Organization of this Book

 

This book is the first in a multi-volume series on information production.  This volume lays the foundation for all other volumes by defining the basic components and processes of information production.  This book is organized into six chapters and book-ended with an introduction (this section) and a conclusion.  Each chapter supports the others in a building block approach:

·        Chapter One: Why Information Production – this chapter provides the core justification for formalizing the information production process.  It also introduces and explains the 4C’s of an Information Product: Consumer, Context, Catalog and Content. 

 

·        Chapter Two: Data and Information – this chapter clearly distinguishes data from information. Additionally it distinguishes both from knowledge and wisdom.  It closes by distinguishing information from information products.

 

·        Chapter Three: The Information Product – this is the central chapter of the book that defines an information product both conceptually and technically.  To do this we follow a physical product analogy.  In line with that analogy we examine the importance of consumer profiles similar to those used in marketing physical products.  The chapter also introduces a new concept of “Information MVC” and details its role in implementing information products.

 

·        Chapter Four: The Information Catalog – this chapter describes how to create and populate a metadata catalog.  Before exploring the catalog implementation, the concept of metadata is demystified.  A new, unambiguous definition for metadata is constructed and explained in detail.  The chapter closes by exploring the role of the metadata catalog in the information production process.

 

·        Chapter Five: The Information Production Process – this chapter introduces the information supply chain as analogous to the physical product supply chain.  Each value activity in the value chain is explored.  The chapter closes with a case study on a real-world information product: the electronic mortgage.

 

·        Chapter Six: Strategic Information Delivery – this chapter focuses on the application of information products to achieve “rightness” along three specific axes: information, person and time.  To achieve this I devised a “rightness pattern” composed of three interlocking components. 

 

·        Conclusion - this section completes the book by envisioning the result of a robust information production process: individual empowerment via real-time relevance.  The chapter closes with a summary of the key “take-away” points

 

·        Appendix A: Effective Metadata Design – this appendix is provided to enable technical managers to differentiate between good and bad metadata designs.  It walks through seven methods for describing data and demonstrates each one via a case study.  The chapter includes a detailed examination of formal taxonomies adapted from an article I wrote for xml.com.  A successful metadata catalog will use all of the techniques described in this section.

 

·        Appendix B: The Evolution of Data – this appendix describes the history and future of data representation and is adapted from an article I wrote for Enterprise Architect magazine.  While quite technical in some areas, I have taken pains to expand and clarify the material for technical managers.  The appendix also serves as an interesting indicator of the evolution of my own thought into data, information and knowledge representation.

 

After reading this book, it is my hope that senior executives, technical managers and technical implementers have a deep understanding of information and the tools necessary to reliably produce it.  Treating information as tangible products is the linchpin to information superiority: moving beyond information platitudes to the science of targeted information production and delivery.

 

Acknowledgements

 

The writing of this book has been an arduous process of discovery, research and experimentation.  The title, theme and outline of the book have changed several times as I examined different aspects of the problem.  In essence, I stumbled about as the proverbial blind-man examining the elephant.  And, as this introduction has made clear, the research began before the writing.  I am a stickler for having the proper prerequisites before taking on a job or a major project.  In other words, I make it a priority to feel qualified to write before I write.  My experience over the past five years is the source of all lessons learned in this book.  Thus, the list of people I need to thank spans both the time of this writing and the time gaining the experience in which to write about.  The list of people I am indebted to is long.  If I perchance, forget to mention someone who has helped me along the way, I sincerely apologize.  And now I’d like to sincerely thank the following people:

 

¨      My dear wife Lynne who has tirelessly supported me in every way possible.  To join the Department of Homeland Security, I again uprooted the family from Arizona back to Virginia.  Lynne and the kids - CJ, Gregory and Samantha - accepted this and worked hard to adjust rapidly.   They are my strength, my joy, my love.

 

¨      My brother Joseph Craig Daconta, who always encourages and challenges me in our weekly discussions.  And of course the rest of my brothers and sisters, parents, in-laws and relatives who are always rooting for me.

 

¨      Mary McCaffery, a colleague and friend at the Environmental Protection Agency, who has supported me as a professional sounding board, advisor and proofreader.  Mary is a class act.

 

¨      My former colleagues at DHS especially Lee Holcomb (my boss), Martin Smith, Tarrazzia Martin, Merv Leavitt and Steve Cooper (former CIO of DHS).  And to my current DHS customers who had the vision to launch an Enterprise Data Management program at TSA – Joe Peters, Chris Allen, Mike Karas, Kevin Lawson and Paul Worsham. 

 

¨      My former colleagues in other federal agencies whom I worked with on the Federal Enterprise Architecture Data Reference Model and the National Information Exchange Model: first, special thanks to Jim Feagans, my chief collaborator on NIEM whom I am now proud to call my friend.  To other federal colleagues to including Kim Nelson, Suzanne Acar, Bryan Aucoin, Richard Burk, Patrick McCreary, Clay Robinson, Glenda Hayes, Brand Niemann and Susan Turnbull.

 

¨      My colleagues at Oberon Associates, Inc. headquarters including Dave Young, Jodi Johnson, Everett Nelson, Anthony Iasso, Dale Johnson, Randy Brooks, John Healy, John Hibbert, Gail McGraw, Ken Diller, Bob Cotter, Maria and John Shugars, Sandy Corbett, and Ericka and Vanessa Speis.  Special thanks to Dave and Jodi for actively supporting my voracious interests and writing schedule.

 

¨      My colleagues at Government Computer News whom I write a monthly column for; especially, Wyatt Kash, and Joab Jackson.  And to my other colleagues in the media to include Martha McGrath, Jason Miller and David Perera.

 

¨      My Enterprise Data Management Team at TSA to include David Dutton, Kelly Fahey, Michelle Stern, Cole Wilson, Peter Rush, Huma Munir, Alex Gandy, Van Pham, and Jon Renaut.

 

¨      My other professional friends to include Danny Proko, Kevin T. Smith, Leo Obrst, Charlie Sowell, Dwayne Jackson, Nicole Davis-Helmantoler, Darrell Gaskins, Craig Tanner, Mark Oliphant, Michael Tiemann and Felix Rausch.

 

Again, even though the list above is long, I am sure to be forgetting many people to whom I apologize.  Thank you all for your assistance and support.  Of course, the list is not complete without adding you, my reader, and to the previous readers of my other books and articles.  Thank you for listening.

 

Feedback

 

This book is the start of an important dialogue on rigorous information production techniques that effectively support consumers.  In light of the dot-com bubble bursting, we must be both sensitive to cost and clear of our benefits.  I believe this book achieves that by delving beneath the vision to practical, concrete implementation approaches.  I am very interested in your opinions on these important subjects and thus offer you a variety of methods to go beyond the contents of this book:

·        Blog - this web log, located at http://iproduct.blogspot.com, will be the primary source of collaboration on the book.  All readers will be able to post commentary on all the sections of the book.  The blog will work in conjunction with the website for more permanent and reference information on the book.

 

·        Website - a set of pages on my personal website http://www.daconta.us/books/infoasproduct.html will cover general information about the book, errata, and projects related to the book.

 

·        Email – you are welcome to contact me via email at mdaconta@aol.com. I look forward to your reporting of errors, feedback, constructive comments and suggestions for improvements.  Please prefix the subject of your email with “[Information As Product Feedback]” so I don’t confuse it with spam.

 

I encourage you to take advantage of these collaboration methods and join me in designing a more effective digital future.

Best Wishes,

 

Michael C. Daconta

                                                            Woodbridge, Virginia