de Stricker

Contingency Planning: Think Through the Priorities if Things Change Suddenly

Having dealt with the broken-ankle immediate ’next 20 feet of my life through airports’ a month ago, I have now had the opportunity to ponder the matter of coping with and adjusting to changed circumstances longer term. As I learned how to navigate my home on crutches and then on a walking cast, I honed my planning and prioritizing skills: What is the minimum number of steps to get
the documents I need from my desk to where my foot is elevated? How about postponing that dental appointment?

Information professionals do it every day. We face secondments, IT revamps, and many other types of new work circumstances – are we ready? How well equipped are we in our jobs to continuing our services in unusual circumstances?

 

• 
  What would we do if X, Y, or Z circumstance
  suddenly changed?
• 
  What tasks MUST be done and what tasks CAN WAIT
  TEMPORARILY? Who is in charge?
• 
  What temporary measures can we put in place
  without risking them becoming permanent?
• 
  How are we planning to deal with the backlogs
  accumulating from the temporary situation?

Let us hope not to encounter unanticipated sudden
challenge. But let’s be prepared!

The Next 20 Feet of Your Life: Every Detail Counts!

The adage "don't know what you've got till it's gone" came home in spades in the aftermath of an ankle fracture sustained while traveling in Europe. It is amazing how much we never think about … until we must. The logistical minutiae of my return to Canada reflected in microcosm how much detail we tend to overlook in the activities and projects we undertake day to day - and reminded me of the need for specific information whenever we plan ahead, no matter what the scope of the tasks at hand. With many thanks to the airline staffers who pushed me (with crutches clutched in hand and bag perched on lap) through 4 airports, let me illustrate:

* What is the nature of the surfaces I'm going to be traversing (door thresholds, mats, rugs, marble, gravel, uneven sidewalks, curbs)? Is it even safe to use the crutches?

* How on earth do I get through that giant, and for an inexperienced crutch user dizzyingly fast, revolving door? Who knew there's a button at the side to slow down its speed, as a passerby showed me the second time around?

* When I do get inside the terminal, is there a place to sit while I plot my strategy for "activating" the wheelchair service I requested from the airline? The service commences at the checkin counter, not
before. If it weren't for my sister running to the counter on my behalf, I would have been reduced to flagging down any uniformed individual passing by my bench inside the terminal doors!

* How far is row 28 from the airplane entry door? It sounds as if it's way down, maybe I ought to ask again for a seat near the front ... oh no, wait, the particular plane model I'll be flying in has a second door at the back!

* Will the other passengers mind if I cling to their arm or back rests to get to and from my seat (safer than using crutches inside a plane)? Of course not, the white aircast is pretty obvious - but still.

* How far will the wheelchair service take me in the destination airport? All the way out to the taxi stand, thank goodness!

I have now received a striking illustration of the value of thorough advance information. Whenever we orient others, design websites, or otherwise carry out our professional functions, it helps to think it through: What else does my client need to be alerted to? What assumptions am I (possibly mistakenly) making about what he or she knows? What isn't likely to be familiar, given the differences, say, between practices in various countries? What little details could potentially cause difficulty if they are not made explicit?

Details, details. They matter.

Does the Writing in Your Website, Reports, and Emails Do You Justice?

Thanks to my colleagues for sharing the article at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14130854 suggesting attention to proper language is connected to serious money.

It's often said that in today's texting world, grammar and spelling no longer matter. My take: It's unlikely anyone ever experienced an untoward outcome from paying attention to correct usage - but the opposite could occur.

In my resume workshops, I address the standard zero-error principle by stressing how a potential employer might react to mistakes - "the care taken with the resume reflects the care likely to be taken with the job". Throughout our careers, we signal to others the attention we give our responsibilities through the attention we give our writing.

Fortunately, the resources at our disposal are vast. As an example of less well known ones, check out the "Common Errors in English Usage" and related items at www.wmjasco.com.

(Caution: The MS Word spell checker is not among the resources to trust fully. Its sentence suggestions are often wrong.)

But what if doubt does not even arise? Hundreds of cringe-inducers like "preventative" and "please let Susan and I know if you need assistance" pop up over and over - possibly because they are so prevalent. Could it be that in our hectic world, there isn't time to stop and think twice … about the language we use every day?

Readers may be familiar with my attention to language through the document on my website in the Articles section: 100 English Language Traps and Trip-Ups is my personal collection of examples of frequently encountered errors and tips for remembering how not to commit them. I take pride in having been told it is entertaining - imagine "grammar" and "fun" in the same breath!

Where do Opportunities Come From?

At the 2011 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference, author Bruce Rosenstein spoke about, and featured a video interview he had conducted with, Peter Drucker (see the 2005 video at www.brucerosenstein.com).  In the video, Peter Drucker makes a point worth pondering when saying about his business career  "I took the opportunities … that fit me".  

Before we can choose what fits, we must have choices.  Where do our opportunities - for finding professional employment and for finding the best candidates to hire - come from?

Of course we have already laid the base for attracting opportunities.  We know that having a professional blog supports our statements of expertise.  We have a resume and LinkedIn profile doing us justice (see the free resume webinar at www.destricker.com/en/seminars.html).  We participate appropriately in discussion groups.  We carry a micro-resume (key professional skills shown on the back of a business card) and hand it out liberally so as to increase the number of instances when someone looks at it.  Our organizations' websites have a "career" section that entices applicants. 

But beyond ensuring we are findable, can we further generate opportunities?  Yes, we can. To take the opportunities that fit us, participating in professional events is one must-do activity in maximizing our choices.

The conference, like any other professional event, provided a concentrated set of circumstances that inherently stack up opportunities to (1) make a positive impression on someone who may hire us or mention us to hirers they know and to (2) find candidates who offer the skills needed for a position.  Active job seekers and those currently employed seized the moment when they participated actively in conference sessions, chatted up people they meet at social events, and engaged exhibitors in conversations.  Employers on the lookout for good applicants to hire likewise recognized the opportunity inherent in being at the conference.

Sometimes, an opportunity appears out of the blue.  But add to the farming method  of "plant, water, fertilize" the conference method of "show up, participate, prowl the exhibits". You cannot lose.

 

Thinking of Writing a Book? Think of Collaborating!

The Information and Knowledge Professional's Career Handbook: Define and Create Your Success was published by Chandos in Spring 2011.  I am so very grateful to my co-author Jill Hurst-Wahl for our successful collaboration, and I encourage others who are thinking about publishing to seek an opportunity to work with a colleague.

Note: The following was recently posted to the blog operated by the Leadership & Management Division of Special Libraries Association and is brought here with permission from LMD:

Sometimes, an idea floats around for a long time, looking for a hook into reality. I can't count the number of years it occurred to me vaguely "the advice colleagues ask for and receive ought to be written down for easy reference" as I went about my usual practice of speaking to student groups and reviewing resumes. Then it hit me: Why do it alone? Who else do I know who regularly has conversations with new career entrants and career changers? Hello, Jill? We each had some publisher contacts, and the process of pitching the proposal unfolded. I encourage others who walk around with a "book in the head" to seek out a collaborator - having a sounding board is priceless, and mutual reviews of text makes for a very clean manuscript going to the publisher.

The resulting book can be seen as a "recording" of so much we have said and keep wanting to say in public speeches and seminars and in private conversations. It sets out a foundation on which our interactions with colleagues can be that much more productive because we can focus on the situational specifics. Moreover, it's a manifesto allowing us to be frank about some convictions we built over decades of experience.

For me personally, the book in addition represented an opportunity to speak about the very individual nature of our work lives: I believe it is important to factor one's innate strengths and preferences into any planning for a career, and I hope readers will feel encouraged to take into account how powerful it can be when we do so. Sure, the first and second job out of school may be happenstance … but we still have every opportunity to put conscious planning in the mix.

I am grateful to Chandos for the opportunity to publish the Handbook - and do allow me a plug: The entire process of working with Chandos was smooth and efficient beyond my wildest expectations. I am blown away by the professionalism of that team!

References:

Facebook page: http://on.fb.me/hetqpD

Kim Dority's review at http://bit.ly/jklN69

Robyn Stockand's review at http://bit.ly/iWLnAF

Interviews with Ulla and Jill by Dennie Heye: http://twaud.io/qKwQ and http://twaud.io/qQ79

AMAZON listing and reviews: http://amzn.to/e285mO

Europe: www.woodheadpublishing.com/en/book.aspx?bookID=2101&ChandosTitle=1

"Beware Online Filter Bubbles" by Eli Pariser: Further to Expert Intermediation

Thanks to my colleague Linda Stacy, Senior Research Specialist & Training Manager at a consulting firm in Boston, for drawing attention to a thought provoking TED talk by Eli Pariser on "Filter Bubbles" (May 2, 2011 - http://bit.ly/kLYcuD).  In it, he outlines the risks resulting from news sources and search engines manipulating what we see based on past search and click behaviors among other factors: What links or whose input we click on now - for whatever reason or purpose - will shape what will be served up to us in future. 

The risk inherent in "filter bubbles" reinforces the angle in my last post on intermediated or curated content:  Is a trusted expert doing the sifting and selecting for information consumers … or are they on the other end of an admittedly sophisticated machine process of previous behavior analysis to determine what appears on their screens?

Eli Pariser points out how democracy is built on an informed citizenry relying on journalistic ethics to have information impartially presented; and he describes the effect of preference-based algorithms as being akin to living on a diet of information dessert, missing out on the information vegetables. The latter image is humorous, but the risk of never seeing fresh (or as he says, uncomfortable because unfamiliar) content is not trivial. Not knowing what items were quietly filtered out from the potential universe, we are deprived of the opportunity to judge for ourselves what information is relevant for a given situation. 

Well worth a couple of viewings, the concise (9 minutes) and beautifully articulated talk offers  specific value to information professionals in providing points to discuss when explaining why their intermediation/curation services are worthwhile.

Could Intermediation Become Respectable Again?

In collegial discussions about trends having affected our careers, one phenomenon tends to rise to the top:  Disintermediation.  The doing away with the research intermediary transformed our profession irrevocably and entirely altered the way in which we serve, and communicate about our services to, our clients.  It took some time, but in the end we collectively decided "the intermediation train had left the station" and got on with myriad ways of assisting our clients in doing their own research.

To no one's surprise, the "everyone for himself" research model generated a lot of dissatisfaction, in turn feeding a busy industry of public search providers and vendors of enterprise search solutions.  Users looking for information have a lot of options but often express dismay at the bewildering variety of those options and the impossibility of determining which ones are preferable.

Now, a different term offers the intriguing possibility of the train returning:  Curation.  Typically associated with archives or museums, the term refers to the act of collecting and arranging for others' viewing a number of objects - a wiki manager curates the content in it or a content manager is the curator of intranet information.  If the curator in question happens to be an expert whose judgment can be trusted in terms of what information to collect and arrange - and in some cases with respect to any commentary provided - those making use of the curated collection have a high level of confidence they are spared all the useless clutter and are offered "just the good stuff".  When I hear "the best place to get X type information is Y source, right?" I know the inquirer is looking for such confidence.

In a twist on traditional indexing and abstracting services whose goal was and is comprehensive coverage of a defined body of scientific or professional or news sources, some bloggers and organizations focusing on a particular subject matter have established themselves over time as authoritative sources of guidance.  In effect, they become "first port of call" because they consistently provide good quality results for users.  As one example, a recent Beyond Search blog post describing a targeted new blog entitled Backnotch (http://backnotch.com/) states "online has moved from vertical search to vertical 'finding' services" (see http://arnoldit.com/wordpress/2011/04/27/vertical-blog-a-new-spin-in-online/).  Aha, is intermediation back?

In the past, we held the intermediary role when our clients came to us, described the research need at hand, and went about their business knowing we would, in the time agreed, deliver (at least a solid first pass at) useful information.  Now, we can occupy a new version of the role when we take it upon ourselves to curate - select and comment on - information for clients with special interests.  The key differentiator between old style current awareness ("here is today's harvest of content mentioning topic X") and curation ("here is what I believe warrants your time today regarding topic X and why") is … yes, judgment and knowledge.  Some information professionals have shied away from applying it, believing clients are the ones to choose for themselves; however - in my humble opinion - today's realities deny clients the luxury of reviewing large amounts of information.  As business partners with our clients, we owe them the service of curation - intermediation with expertise.  Sure, that will open the age old generalist-vs-subject-matter-specialist conversation … but isn't that a good thing as we keep working to refine our roles and enhance our professional value?

How Do We Define Opportunity Spaces for Information/Knowledge Credential Holders?

At a recent event put on by Knowledge Workers Toronto (http://linkd.in/dIwVaM) I had the honor to speak and chose to touch on whether information professionals and employers could "get a little closer".

Pointing to a study of organizational productivity (http://bit.ly/dOn2eN) by Economist Intelligence Unit and noting how the study summary does not use the term KM explicitly (our community will recognize it as an underlying topic), I asked "how can we who hold information credentials appeal to employers who may not, understandably, be aware we could be very productive for them in many areas of KM?". 

Another illustration of our opportunity space was articulated briefly at CMSWire in a post (http://bit.ly/ed7G78) by Martin White about (the lack of) intranet strategy.  The trick for us is to show managers in private and public sector organizations that holders of information credentials are well suited for many kinds of roles associated with management - in the specific example here, to show managers that developing a sustainable intranet strategy aligned with corporate strategy is typical of the challenges information professionals can help meet.

The conversation has continued after the event, and will likely never end:  What do we need to learn from employers about their requirements as KM challenges and related tools evolve over time?  One question raised by an attendee was particularly intriguing:  "As opposed to 'getting things organized', what counts as KM experience?"

Thinking of Planning a Conference? Tips from a Volunteer

As a career-long association volunteer, I make it a constant practice to encourage others to offer to contribute to professional events and publications, always citing the many benefits including gaining visibility, getting to know colleagues better, and enjoying learning new skills.  Having just returned from the extremely successful 25th annual conference of the Association of Independent Information Professionals (judging by the enthusiastic feedback on the program and the entire experience), I reiterate the encouragement, backed up by feedback from the entire conference team:  Volunteering truly is a matter of getting more than one gives. 

Not only did I enjoy every aspect of my activities as conference co-chair, I came away with valuable experience for 2012 (yes, I want to do it again).  Happily, most of the takeways were confirmations that our judgment was right.  Here are a few success factor illustrations I would give to other conference planners, based on the positive experience of having worked with a sterling team for almost a year. I hope to inspire readers that conference planning is fun and rewarding!

• Relying on other team members is paramount.  Volunteering is not about "lone heroics" - it's about collaborating to ensure work loads are reasonable.  I was so lucky to have a dynamite group with lots of experience - and doesn't it speak volumes that several members signed up to volunteer for 2012! 
• No matter how carefully one plans, some things (usually ones nobody notices) will escape attention.  Each such discovery is a useful tip to be applied to future situations:  Memo to self - arranging for a different Master of Ceremonies to announce each new morning's and afternoon's events will reduce stress and give several others an opportunity to be "up there" getting used to the function.
• Consider the "culture" of the association to determine how to balance organizers' desire for punctual session starts with conference attendees' desire to network (the 20 June 2010 blog post focuses on the value of hallway conversations).  At the very least, closing the doors when the session starts is a courtesy to introducers and speakers.
• Given that Conference Chairs need to check messages just as everyone else does, having a co-chair enables taking turns "hovering over the event" and "paying attention to our lives".
• Reach out to first-time attendees in various ways ranging from a simple arranged welcome handshake and chat to a formal orientation event (as is AIIP practice).
• Understand and document early on for everyone on the team the allocation of tasks.  If it becomes necessary, reallocation is relatively smooth if individual task areas are clearly described. 
• Keep good documentation for the current and the next crew.  Next year's team is entitled to make new decisions and depart from past practice of course, but there is huge value in knowing what the previous year's experiences were.  (I had, and have appointed for next year, a Knowledge Manager!)
• If there is an association management office (whose responsibilities typically would include such crucial practicalities as venue and hotel arrangements, catering and menus, AV, signage, attendee handout printing and bags, etc) - take advantage of such an office's expertise and build a solid working relationship!  If there isn't such an office, consider hiring a professional planner for key logistics and overall support - evidence suggests the total work load of a typical full blown conference at a hotel is daunting for an all-volunteer crew.
• Arrange for social events in addition to the subject oriented events.  Attendees get so much out of going on tours, having meals together, and the like.

My heartfelt thanks go to each and every one of you who set up AIIP 2011 and who came from near and far to make the conference so valuable and enjoyable.

Translation from Info Lingo to Business Speak: Key Skills for Finding Jobs

Thanks to our professional networks, I recently had two occasions to participate as a panelist/speaker in a "Professional Preparation" class (I would never pass up such an opportunity!).  Kimberly Silk at the University of Toronto and Cabot Yu and Terri Tomchyshyn at the University of Ottawa have been inviting their colleagues to share insights and advice with LIS students in the courses they teach as adjunct faculty, and we colleagues appreciate the chance to meet and interact with soon-to-be new colleagues.  In both cases, the theme of "salesmanship" or "crafting compelling arguments for investments, initiatives, or hiring" was a prominent topic of discussion - and understandably, the hiring part is top of mind for the members of the class.

It's encouraging to read stories like the piece on impending information technology labor shortages in Canada at http://business.financialpost.com/2011/03/29/tech-labour-crunch-looming-in-canada/, yet the takeaway is that information professionals may not obviously be courted by organizations needing to fill their information technology positions.  For classes like Kim's and Cabot's/Terri's, I endeavor to stress the fact that employment opportunities do exist - but we must connect the dots for the potential employers.  In my work, I encounter many individuals who have positions focusing heavily on knowledge acquisition, sharing, and analysis - and I always think "ah, such work would be just the ticket for an information professional".  The hitch is that managers in organizations with openings whose job titles include such words as "analyst" or "officer" may be unaware how closely the LIS graduates' skill sets match the demands of the job.  We can, and should, do whatever we can to raise awareness generally about the versatility of LIS qualifications!

One suggestion I give job seekers is to examine job postings broadly to identify ones using language suggesting they are "information centric" and then to apply using the business terminology appropriate for the hiring organization.  Easier said than done, of course - but what's to lose?  The exercise of stating our skills, past work, and accomplishments in terms meaningful for the hiring teams can only help us get better at convincing potential employers we have what it takes to be highly productive in countless environments.  As examples, consider how much public policy or administration, client relations, and fund raising have in common as a result of their reliance on information and knowledge management - and then consider how pervasive intensive work with data is in business and public sector settings.  

Of course, per the story referenced above, any information professional could benefit from thinking about enhancing his or her technical skills - but let's not overlook the opportunities available right now among organizations looking for talented employees.

We Are All In Business: Conference of Independent Info Pros (AIIP)

In the title of my 3 February 2011 post pointing to the 3rd series of ASIST essays by my colleagues, I touched on a theme I have always advocated:  No matter what our specific roles as information professionals, we must sell to clients the notion it is worth their while to give us their time (if not money).

Thus, we are all "in business" - offering value added services to clients who pay us with their engagement.  For inspiration in reaching out to clients, look here: Association of Independent Information Professionals holds its 25th annual conference April 7-10 in Vancouver, WA, USA (10 minutes from Portland, Oregon).  Many session topics are relevant for all info pros:

►     Using Social Media to Move Your Business Forward

►     Real Time Marketing and PR

►     How to Write a Winning Proposal  

►     Self Promotion is not a Dirty Word

►     Marketing for Lazy People

►     Price your Services for Success

►     Cha-cha-changes:  Is it Time to Renovate Services?

In addition, three preconference sessions are relevant for info pros anywhere:

► LinkedIn Down and Dirty: Supercharging a profile for attracting clients

► Social Business: Social tools for business and competitive research

► Exhibiting Your Business: Why, Where, and How to

The conference is a splendid example how a community of dedicated professionals can focus on what matters when it comes to reaching out to our clients and explaining our value.

Those who can come to the US Northwest for the conference may meet in person a group of dynamic and forward-looking information professionals.  Everyone else can gain inspiration from perusing the conference program and from pursuing the individual offerings of the presenters.  Have a look!

 

Career Book in Print ... We Offer to Speak on its Key Topics

Last Fall, I announced with great pleasure that Jill Hurst-Wahl's and my book - The Information and Knowledge Management Professional's Career Handbook: Define and Create Your Success - had been sent to the publisher.  After an incredibly smooth process - kudos to the publisher - the book was a physical reality last week:  ISBN 1 84334 608 7  and  ISBN-13: 978 1 84334 608 1.

Published by Chandos (Woodhead) Publishing in the UK, it is distributed in North America by Neal-Schuman.  It may be ordered at Amazon (pre-publication price guarantee) and Barnes & Noble and Neal-Schuman. 

Jill and I hope it will serve as inspiration for our current and future colleagues.  Conceived to offer a set of guidelines for a career  - not as a guide to how to find a job - the book shares our own experience and that of our colleagues "in the real world". 

Jill set up a Facebook page  - we hope you'll check it out!

We now extend an offer to colleagues who may be in a position to arrange meetings and programs for information professionals:  If it's feasible, we will come to speak at your event about the key topics of the book; otherwise we will make ourselves availble on skype or in virtual meetings to address your group.  Let us know of your interest and we will discuss the options for presenting.

Overview and Table of Contents:

Information Professionals and Knowledge Managers deal with significant career challenges for a number of reasons associated (for example) with common misperceptions of their expertise and roles. In environments where they must often justify their work and value over and over, those already in the profession and those just entering need to prepare for a reality that may differ from expectations.  Based on the authors' own extensive experience, the book is intended to give readers a set of tools and techniques with which to secure a strong career, build an effective brand, and succeed as professionals.

1. Introduction:  What is in the book

2. An opaque profession:  Special challenges

3. Knowing who you are:  Determining a good "fit" for you

4. Developing your brand:  The professional image

5. Looking for a job:  Tips and tricks

6. Creating your story:  Crafting a compelling resume

7. Knowing where you want to go:  Plan - but not too much!

8. Navigating corporate waters: Understand organizational psychology

9. Winning support:  Sell your proposals, ideas, and solutions

10. Making the leap to a leading role:  Your first job as the boss

11. Resilience at work:  Thrive even on the challenging days

12. About the money:  Earn what you are worth

13. Passing it on:  Collegial support and mentoring

14. Our colleagues speak:  Career snapshots

15. Jill and Ulla speak:  Our professional journeys

We are all in business: Part III of the ASIST Series now Out

In my 9 October 2010 post, I described the first two parts of a three-part series of articles by independent information professionals published by the Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (see http://www.destrickerblog.com/de_stricker/2010/10/index.html). 

The final part, with insights valid not just for entrepreneurs, is now out at http://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Feb-11/Bulletin_FebMar11_Final.pdf  (pages 28-48).  I always encourage information professionals to watch what the self-employed are "up to" … for a simple reason:  In my view we are all in the business of earning our clients' and investors' attention, custom, and support.  Public libraries must prove their value to the community, special libraries must demonstrate to funders that they are worth the cost, and so on.  We must communicate in ways to engage the interest and engagement of our target audiences … just the way any other business must.  In my talks and workshops, I express that view pointedly by asking "what would you say if you were asked why the salaries you and your colleagues earn are worth it to the employer?" and "complete the sentence beginning with YOU PAY ME BECAUSE YOU WANT …". 

Have a look:

• Making It Work as an IIP  
• International Collaboration - Needs, Essentials and Pitfalls 
• Collaborating - Key to Providing Complete Answers Online and Off 
• Independent Information Professionals in Europe: Using Geopolitical and Cultural Boundaries to Advantage 
• How to Generate Income from Teaching and Training
• Think Strategically:  Add Value to Your Business 
• Strategic Communication:  Making Your Marketing and Website Content Work for Your Business

 

 

 

 

 

Nailing the Job Interview: Practice, Practice, then Practice Some More!

Sometimes, candidates with strong qualifications miss out on a job offer because they aren't practiced in the art of answering difficult questions with ease.  Here are two essential recommendations I always stress in my career workshops:

1.  Practice the answers to likely questions over and over until they roll off the tongue smoothly.  During such practice, you will soon notice when a particular phrase sounds odd, when the logic is not quite right, or when a particular formulation doesn't do justice to what you have to offer.  Practicing your answers boosts confidence that you won't end up with ums and ahs and helps you retain poised composure.  If a colleague or friend is not on hand to act as interviewer, a pet or the refrigerator will do just fine!

2.  Dig out and memorize specific stories to illustrate points you want to make.  It is essential to be able to back up with concrete evidence every skill and competence we say we possess.  Prepare anecdotes to tell in response to questions:  "In my position with ABC, there was X situation and I did Y action to achieve Z outcome."  Let me illustrate, using two common questions posed in job interviews:

►YOU HAVE HAD SEVERAL JOBS IN THE LAST 5 YEARS?

In those years, I have probably experienced a disproportionate share of significant organizational change resulting in downsizings or outright department closures.  In no case was my performance at issue, but it has indeed been challenging to deal with quite so much change beyond my control.

►YOUR RESUME STRESSES PLANNING SKILLS.  CAN YOU GIVE MORE DETAIL?

I make it a practice to look ahead and prepare to minimize future effort.  As an example, in my job at ABC Company I anticipated a potential merger and set up long in advance a spreadsheet showing the overlapping functions my boss would need to address; it saved a lot of time for everyone when the merger actually came to pass.  Another example would be the annual meeting I planned for DEF Organization's employees in 2010.  I had the privilege of handling every aspect from program content and speaker engagements to venue selection and catering to registration and logistics, and I'm proud to say the event was smoothly executed and received rave reviews from attendees.

Among the many tips for making a positive impression in an interview, these two are at the top of my list:

1.  The best approach is to be genuine, heeding "truth in advertising" advice.  Of course we all wish to present favorably, but being candid is likely to help us feel more relaxed and to give interviewers a better impression.  For example, if you feel saying "I have experience with …" is a stretch, you may be more comfortable saying "I have had exposure to …".  Speak out loud the various possible statements you could make - your gut will tell you which one is right.

2.  The interview is a trade negotiation.  We want the job, and the employer wants the best candidate.  Hence we compete with other applicants for a position - and the employers compete for the most suitable applicants.  Go in from a position of strength, thinking "just as you want to discover whether you should invest in me, I'm here to find out if the job would be a good career move for me".  You are entitled to ask probing questions about the organization's culture!

There is no shortage of information resources to support job seekers - yet no amount of advice has the impact practice has.  Sure it feels weird talking to the walls at first … but trust me, the effort will pay off!

Roundhouse Kicks: Talk about Speaking the Clients' Language!

It was recently my great pleasure to be at the annual workshop of the Special Libraries Association's Military Division.  An intense and superb multi-day event, the conference offered sessions dealing with a range of topics related to communicating our value to clients and stakeholders - and the focused attention of participants showed the relevance and practical applicability of such topics.  Imagine my delight - as someone who often speaks about the need to communicate with our target audiences in ways that are meaningful to them - when I witnessed Rachel Kingcade, Chief Reference Librarian at the US Marine Corps University Library, describe her use of well known references to martial arts and popular culture in reaching out to and guiding students.  Referring on the library website to steps in the research process as Roundhouse Kicks (think Chuck Norris) and to her own style of work assisting students in their course work as Dr. Evil, she demonstrated  how to put a set of cultural associations to work.  In her environment, metaphors suggesting impact and effect are understood, and the "just do it" approach is routine.  Using those metaphors and that approach to support her message of "you are here to pass your exams and I am here to show you how", Rachel said, helps her reach the students in ways she could not do if she were to dwell on the intrinsic merits of the library resources.  Rachel's sharp illustration of the principle that "it's all about the clients' goals" is being posted at the SLA Military Division's websites http://sladmil.cimes.fsu.edu/ and http://slamilitarylibraries.org/wpcms/.   

I came away with a sense of reassurance that we information professionals are in fact deploying the tactics of adopting our clients' familiar imagery, their aspirational framework, and their cultural frames of reference when we communicate with them.  Sometimes I put my recommended strategy this way:  Our tools and resources are our business, and no one cares how we do what we do.  Let's drop that information to the bottom of our missives and instead zoom in on the simple fact that we are here to help our clients reach their objectives - period.

Rachel Kingcade will be presenting at the annual SLA conference in June 2011 … don't miss it!

Hearts & Minds & Ownership: Social Tools Raise Questions

At the 2010 London Online Information conference, it was once again my privilege to present along with my esteemed colleagues.  In the context of barriers to the use of social tools, Phil Bradley outlined 25 typical objections to their use in the workplace and entertainingly furnished the down-to-earth rejoinders; Bonnie Cheuk spoke convincingly of the need to zero in on the business purpose for any social tools initiative and to assist executives in tailoring the use of social tools for their specific communication needs.  I had chosen as my focus the matter of ownership:  Is there even such a thing when it comes to social tools - and if there is, how could it be used to protect and enhance corporate memory (CM) and knowledge sharing (KS)?

The question regarding ownership arises because social tools in many cases have become a de facto repository of significant aspects of corporate memory and a de facto means for knowledge sharing.  If no one "owns" such a mechanism for CM/KS, what is the fate of organizational learning, institutional knowledge, and intellectual capital?

As a result of their very nature, social tools play into the natural creativity of knowledge workers and their tendency to collaborate to rise to any occasion.  Thus, the social tools exacerbate the traditional tension between proactively investing in systems and infrastructure to capture CM and facilitate KS on the one hand … and "applying search muscle and heroism" retroactively on the other hand.  The number of offerings in the enterprise search market suggests it may be perceived to be too late, in any other than a startup organization, to take the proactive just-in-case approach:  The cost of intellectual content management is too difficult to justify in many environments.  Similarly, the complexity of devising a mechanism whereby knowledge workers may learn of their colleagues' activities at the right time defies upfront solutions and prescribed processes.

So how can we work the social tools - and the inherent human desire to communicate with peers - to the advantage of CM/KS?  What could managers do to encourage practices and behaviors that will benefit the collective memory and access to knowledge?  It is well known how actions that are rewarded get repeated; what rewards will strengthen the likelihood a knowledge worker will take the extra two minutes to contribute an insight into the communal heritage - given the typical time pressures they experience?  Is it feasible to design and institutionalize a certain set of practices (over and above, let's say, the document/records management systems imposed by the regulatory environment)?  How does one foster a culture in which everyone willingly does his or her part to use social tools appropriately to protect knowledge for the future?

In our presentations, Phil Bradley, Bonnie Cheuk, and I naturally could only touch on the highlights of the questions raised by social tools.  It was striking, though, how the sizable audience remained intently focused in a late-in-the-day session.  I took it as a sign how the challenges associated with CM and KS in today's organizations occupy the hearts and minds of information professionals. 

Getting Ready for Your First Job: So Much to Learn - Start Here

In the last few weeks I had the pleasure once again to spend a day with soon-to-be-newly-minted holders of the MLIS degree, discussing the skills required to succeed in the world we so often describe as "real".  As workplaces undergo considerable change in these times, it is more than ever essential for new graduates without previous full time work experience to be prepared for the norms and expectations characteristic of organizational cultures; for that reason I emphasize the "soft skills" topic during "Career Day" events.  Usually triggered by the question "should courses and grades be on one's resume?", our conversation focuses on the simple but - in the context of the work load in graduate school - stunning fact that supervisors and coworkers rarely care about academic achievements.  Instead, they care greatly about skills in adapting to the needs of the workplace, working on teams, dealing with clients, representing the employer professionally, and so on.

The thrust of the conversation was captured previously in a concise and illuminating article by Alvin Schrader, former Professor at the University of Alberta School of Library and Information Studies: "Hitchhiking Across Cultures from the Classroom to the Workplace" (Feliciter, Issue 2, 2008, p. 43 at http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Vol_54_No_2&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=5255).  Alvin zeroes in on the steep learning curve many graduates must climb when they move out of an environment centered on individual learning, outlines the stark contrasts between the academic and organizational environments, and makes practical recommendations for ways employers and graduates alike can facilitate the transition:  "The classroom is about intellect, while the workplace is about leadership."

Dear graduates, as you get ready for that life-changing first day on the job, do yourself a favor by paying close attention to the insights Alvin offers.  In addition, let me suggest: 

• Read up on the industry or sector in question:  What developments are having an impact on the work of organizations like the one you will be entering, and what challenges could they therefore expect?
• Find out as much as you can about your new employer:  Use your research skills to shed light on the past and likely future of the specific environment where you will be working. 
• Brush up on the key elements of emotional intelligence and interpersonal communication:  You will need considerable social nimbleness given the work relationships likely to exist in your new group of colleagues. 
• Lean on colleagues who have gone before you:  What did the graduates from a few years ago learn as they started their first jobs?  What could seasoned colleagues tell you?  (Oh, and you know where to find these colleagues - in the relevant professional association.) 
• Finally:  Don't be afraid to ask questions of your new boss and new team!  Asking shows you are interested in performing well and acting appropriately, and it's better to ask than to assume and be off the mark.

With such preparation, success should be well within your reach.  For those I haven't yet had the privilege of meeting:  See you at the next Career Day event! 

Sharing What We Know: Our Professional Tradition

At the recent Internet Librarian International conference in London UK (www.internet-librarian.com/2010/) I once again had the privilege of meeting with colleagues from all over the world to find out what they are working on, hear about their latest ideas and innovations, see what the concept of “user friendly systems” can mean, and so on.  In addition, the conference is a superb vehicle for catching up with old friends and meeting new ones.  As always, I appreciate the organizers’ efforts to create a dynamic environment for interacting and building on those social networks of ours.

In particular, the conference afforded me the opportunity to catch up with Jane Macoustra – an international information professional of the first order – and hold her new book Global Research without Leaving Your Desk (Chandos, 2010, ISBN 978-1-843343660 - www.woodheadpublishing.com/en/book.aspx?bookID=1795&ChandosTitle=1).   In it, Jane puts her 27 years of worldwide research experience to use for the benefit of readers, showcasing resources even seasoned researchers may not have come across.  Jane’s emphasis on understanding how information is collected and treated in various parts of the world – so as to “consider the source” at an entirely deeper level – is an eye opener, and the richness of practical tips (e.g. how to mine discussion lists and blogs and leverage social media, how to search anonymously) is impressive.  I hand it to Jane for compressing so much valuable information into her guide and for having committed to updating it.

I see collegial sharing as one of the prominent characteristics of information professionals, so Jane’s book illustrates for me the “sharing what we know” attitude I have admired for as long as I have been in the profession (and continue to strive to emulate).  Amassing what we have learned during the course of our careers and distilling it into a practical tool for others is our hallmark and a habit I hope we will never lose. 

Jane’s book will be a useful “case in point” for encouraging those entering the profession to be diligent in keeping in the back of their minds the questions “How could I one day share what I have learned to help speed others on their way?  What are the lessons I could pass along?  How could I save others the time and effort in finding out for themselves?  What would be the best way to offer a heads-up so as to point out potential pitfalls and lead the way to golden gems?"  Granted, younger professionals tell me they have a lot on their plates getting oriented in their first jobs, but I want to encourage them anyway:  You, too, will one day be in Jane's shoes, having an awful lot of high-value material to share!

Curious about a Career in KM? Watch These Videos

I'm often asked "what does it take to build a successful career in information and knowledge management?" and feel tempted to answer "are you free for the next hour?" because it's less than straightforward to come up with a list of definitive requirements.  At professional meetings, we discuss the matter frequently, and now Karen Huffman, Chair of the Knowledge Management Division of the Special Libraries Association, has taken the initiative to record some of our comments.  Her video series on the functions, successes, and challenges of KM professionals features excerpts from interviews in which we share our views on the special characteristics of work in the KM arena. Check out the recordings made so far in the series at http://www.youtube.com/sladkm - and be inspired!

The stories we tell are very different, yet they add up to painting a picture of the engaging work we do.  As it very much involves people and their perceptions, decision making processes, interactions, and "way of thinking", our work keeps evolving with the ever changing factors determining what goes on in every workplace.  I hope viewers take away from Karen's videos a sense of the pride and reward we get from our varied activities, and I hope those curious about a career in KM will feel encouraged to pursue it - even though it may not be easy to define it clearly and briefly.

Many thanks to Karen for undertaking the video project!

Wondering What Information Career Specialty to Choose? Or Could You Use Some Help?

Thanks to the efforts of Crystal Sharp, Guest Editor, the October 2010 issue of the Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology  http://www.asist.org/Bulletin/Oct-10/Bulletin_OctNov10_Final.pdf features contributions from members of the Association of Independent Information Professionals (aiip.org).  In two sections entitled "Research:  Much more than Search and Retrieval" and "Services: Marketing, New Media, Writing, Consulting and Information Management", each contributor describes the value an IP's services brings to clients in a wide range of fields.  Here are succinct overviews of specialized information types and tools providing a fascinating glimpse into the vast range of activities the "information arena" contains. 

For those wondering what specialty to select in an information career, the collection of essays is a superb sampling.  For those wondering whether an IP might assist in their projects, it is one great place to start exploring.  (Note: Additional contributions will follow in February 2011.)  Help yourself:

Adding Value: The Business of Independent Information Professionals

Looking Back, Looking Forward

PART I - Research: Much More Than Search and Retrieval

The Unexpected Value of Research in Biomedical Business

Patents in the Realm of Independent Information Professionals

The IIP and the Small Business High Tech Client

Government Information: Adding Value as an Expert Guide

The Independent Information professional as Government Contractor

Competitive Intelligence: How Independent Information Professionals Contribute to Organizational Success

Business Research Beyond Borders

Today's Genealogist: Providing Value-Added History

PART II - Services: Marketing, New Media, Writing, Consulting and Information Management

Information Professionals and the Nonprofit Sectors

Enhance Your Marketing Productivity: Hire an IIP

Consulting: Helping Clients Plan, Adapt, Choose...and Much More

Social Media: Essential for Research, Marketing and Branding

From Reference Interview to Project Proposal: Defining Client Needs to Ensure Research Success

The Accidental Knowledge Manager: Another Role for Independent Information Professionals

  

New Book on the Way - Info / Knowledge Professional's Career Handbook: Define and Create Your Success

Jill Hurst-Wahl and I recently submitted our manuscript for The Information and Knowledge Professional's Career Handbook: Define and Create Your Success to Chandos Publishing (see www.woodheadpublishing.com/en/ChandosHome.aspx for general information and www.woodheadpublishing.com/en/book.aspx?bookID=2101&ChandosTitle=1 for the book entry).  The anticipated publishing date is February 2011; the book will be distributed in North America by Neal Schuman Publishers. 

Needless to say, we are thrilled and look forward to working with the copy editor Chandos will assign.  Allow me to share with pride the acquisitions editor's comment on the high degree of polish in the manuscript text! 

The book is intended as a career-long companion to be read now and later dipped into as its topics are relevant.  It will be a terrific gift for new graduates and young professionals, but it is written as well for those who change careers later in life.  If focuses on personal attitudes, professional networking, learning and mentoring, interpersonal skills and organizational savvy, and other elements going into building a rewarding career.  (Just to be clear, it is not a technical "how-to" manual or "where-to-find-a-job" directory.)

Jill and I leaned - with gratitude - on many colleagues for their input to the book, and we present our own experience in hopes it will serve to inspire readers.  We have learned so much from other professionals who guided us as we were developing out careers, and we hope the book will add to our continued efforts to support and encourage our colleagues.

There will be reminders as soon as the book is "in hand" … and we understand advance orders are possible. 

Feedback: Have You Given Yours Today?

Recent email yielded two out-of-the-blue items of feedback.  The first read:  "I just finished reading your article in the July/August 2009 issue of Information Outlook (v.13, no.5) entitled Creating Influence through 'Being There'.  Very informative.  The piece on social capital is bang on!  I found the article educational and I have made a copy of it part of my leadership learning arsenal." 

As I always do, I sent a note of thanks.  It is indeed terrific to find out how work we have done has made a difference for others.

The second correspondent said "Thank you very much for coming to speak at our roundtable discussion. A few of our [SLA Chapter] members have requested to contact you with feedback. Would it be alright if I provided your email address to them so they could contact you directly?" My reply here, of course, was "But of course!".  (And I look forward to continuing the conversation we had at the roundtable.)

Sharing reactions is fundamental to our professional networks.  We should never hold back or believe anyone would be uninterested in what we have to say.  Here's why:  Feedback rewards us for our contributions to the community and helps us stay motivated to continue to grow as professionals and contribute - to individuals personally or generally through such activities as writing.  Feedback lets us know what's useful, what we could work on improving, and what questions still remain.  Feedback keeps us connected and keeps us fresh.

The next time we are at an event and a speaker hands out an evaluation form, we will of course provide our "ratings", but let's consider adding a personal - constructive - comment to help him or her further develop the presentation material or delivery.  Should we come across a colleague's written material and notice it needs a bit of help or could otherwise be improved, let's offer input.  If a colleague's comments in a meeting were particularly effective, let's say so and say why.  It's gratis, aside from the minute or two it may take.  In case of any anxiety over how feedback may be received, one approach I have often used is to ask prior permission:  "Are you interested in hearing my impressions?"  It would be unusual to encounter a lack of interest, and my experience is that even when some feedback may be slightly uncomfortable, in the long run the recipient is grateful for it.  I know I am!

So … have you given feedback to a colleague today?

 

Mark Field on The Fragmentation Death of the Information Professions

With his permission, I feature below the main points in a post made by Mark Field in the LinkedIn group CILIP (UK based Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals) on 31 July 2010.  Not surprisingly, the post has generated a number of comments and likely will continue to do so.  Here are some of Mark's thought provoking comments:

The information professions are highly networked but poorly integrated. As a result they lack influence in government policy-making and traction in business.

The inability of the information professions to exploit an early position of strength in the emergence of the internet is symptomatic of the professions' structural weakness.

The constant re-invention of information science by other professions is symptomatic of a failure of the information professions to retain possession of their craft, professionalism, technical practices and methodologies and, thus, their unique selling point.

The lack of a comprehensive, hospitable and rigorous over-arching professional framework for information scientists, librarians, records managers, archivists, and their emerging new sibling professions in information architecture is a slow motion disaster of inaction.

The effects of the vacuum created by that inaction cannot be easily quantified, but in terms of skewed and inequitable economic opportunity and the stunted evolution of a rational and humane information-based democracy, those effects could be profound.

Currently, no professional body exists which is capable of providing a professional framework for specialist information workers of all types.

In this case, the 'do nothing' option could be the worst.

 

We need to acknowledge that there are new information professions with whom we would have intimate collaborative relationships, to the extent that they are clearly part of our 'supertribe', but we need to learn how to treat them with respect and intelligence.

There is still time to get this right. But not as much as we would like.

 

 

Compensating for Lack of (Recent) Experience to Inspire Employer Confidence: Guest Post by Alexis Bonari

My readers know I provide recommendations for resume construction in frequent seminars and online (see http://www.destricker.com/en/seminars.html).  It is my pleasure to provide Alexis Bonari's supplemental commentary on the conundrum of "lack of (recent) experience":

Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and resident blogger at College Scholarships.org.

If you have had poor luck with job opportunities, needed to attend to family matters for some years, or just want to get back in on the vocational action after a long absence, you may feel at a disadvantage. It can be frustrating and difficult to find ways around the obvious requirement of experience, but here are some tips.  Careful preparation, knowledge of your expertise relative to your desired field of work, and attention to detail can help you overcome your lack of experience to land you a new job.

Assess What You Have to Offer

Analyze the situation from the viewpoint of your potential employer. Which attributes do you possess that might contribute to the advancement of the company? Do you have something more valuable than experience? Don't forget you may have some fresh ideas for the potential employer as a result of your volunteer or internship experience. Strong personal qualities such as excellent self-motivation, well-channeled passion, professional curiosity, and thoughtful innovation can be highly attractive to employers who are not by legal regulation required to fill positions with individuals meeting predetermined requirements for recent experience. What you need to project a positive image to prospective employers is a strategy to showcase these qualities: draft some responses to potential interview questions that demonstrate your fit with the company and the job opening. Making everything fit together seamlessly goes a long way toward convincing an employer that you’re the right choice. Some background research may be necessary, so naturally you act like the info pro you are and search for background on the company and information about the likely characteristics of the job.

Stay Connected to the Professional World

Temporary work, volunteer work, and participation in conferences relevant to your career and expertise can provide evidence that you are professionally motivated, determined to make the most of your time, and engaged in the networking opportunities.  Search local newspapers or other publications for temporary and volunteer positions, freelance writing opportunities, and upcoming conference events.

Refresh Your Skills

If you have been out of practice for a while, you may want to brush up on some specific skills currently in demand due to technological progress. Online courses, community college classes, or just consistent practice can help you develop your skills and thus feel confident in answering pointed interview questions.

Reformat Your Resume?

Some resume advisors recommend listing experience according to skill sets or experience as opposed to providing chronological evidence of work.  No matter what your choice, it will help to feature some recent volunteer or temporary experience to fill in any gaps.  Feature in your resume a qualifications summary  including a headline, one or two short paragraphs about your experience, and a list of specific areas of expertise such as computer skills and interpersonal communications.

Could Recording Presentations in Advance Be a Confidence Builder?

Driven in large part by the many times my colleagues and I have talked about career related questions, I offered to, and in the Fall of 2009 had the pleasure to, deliver a series of career related presentations to the Toronto Chapter of Special Libraries Association.  One of the questions raised during those sessions was how to avoid going blank when asked such predictable job interview questions as "please describe a situation in which you handled … ".  I'll get back to that in a second.

 

Since then, entrepreneurial Cabot Yu - who sets up many a professional event through Canadian Library Association - has arranged several re-deliveries (all in one day!) for students and information professionals; most recently he arranged for the recording of "studio" versions anyone may view and listen to at www.destricker.com/en/seminars.html.  Two down, two more to go - but I would be most pleased to entertain suggestions for new topics to add to the series.

 

Creating the recordings was, as they say, an "interesting experience".  Here's why: 

 

When speaking live to an audience, I benefit hugely from the interaction with the participants.  We share common experiences, roll our eyes collectively, listen to each others' stories, and so on.  It never occurs to me to memorize what I'm presenting because I experience the activity as a conversation.  Sure, the slides provide direction for my comments but by and large, I use the attendees' input to guide me in determining where to put emphasis, when to throw in an illustrative anecdote, and how to respond to questions.  More importantly, the live environment compensates for any half-completed sentences, segues, pauses, and other characteristics of interactive speaking because the audience members and I can see each other.  So much of the message conveyed derives from the body language happening while I move around, throw up my hands, etc.

 

Speaking into a microphone, knowing the recording will be listened to in future and not here-and-now as in a broadcast webinar, is - trust me - a most restrictive experience.  I soon found out that "just talking" the way I do in person simply wasn't on.  Every "um" and hesitation stood out like a sore thumb and made me lose track.  I needed to hit the keyboard and craft exactly what I wanted to say to each slide.  (I assiduously avoid reading out the slide wording viewers can perfectly well read for themselves.)  It was reassuring to know I could record each 20-40 second sound snippet repeatedly until it rolled reasonably smoothly off the tongue - and if I couldn't make that happen, I changed the words!

 

Then it hit me:  Could it be that writing out and recording the anecdotes needed in job interviews might be a means of overcoming sudden speechlessness?  Could it be that for those of my colleagues who say they are terrified of speaking to a meeting of executives or at a public event, the act of recording their remarks would help them become comfortable with the flow of the material and hence more confident in the live delivery?  Could it be that listening to the recordings would help them edit the wording for the next practice session? 

 

It's just a thought.  Who's to know you practiced with your computer mike until you had your "tracks" down in your head?

New Blog on New Information Careers: Infonista.com

I’m delighted to share with my readers Kim Dority’s new Infonista blog in which she focuses on the opportunities available to holders of information credentials. 

 

This Saturday, when I once again have the privilege of sharing my “Career Planning at Any Stage” program with information professionals, I will refer in particular to Kim’s ten-tips piece on how to make graduate school work pay off for years to come:  http://infonista.com/2010/ten-tips-for-building-your-career-while-you%e2%80%99re-in-grad-school/.  In it, she makes recommendations all new professionals would be well served following; the good news is that Kim’s advice pertains even though graduate school may be over and done with.  No matter what the stage of anyone’s career, there is room to volunteer, to write, to take on leadership roles, and – thereby – to become visible.

 

For years, my colleagues and I have been encouraging new information professionals to “strut their stuff” in safe environments such as associations - just as Kim encourages in her 9^th tip to “practice doing scary stuff” [in school].  Here’s why:  Traditional information jobs are becoming rarer and we need to demonstrate our capabilities across a wider audience not familiar with the details of “what we do”.

 

In my consulting work – assisting clients determine the optimal strategies for supporting knowledge workers – I often see that “an information professional (or three, or more, depending on the size of the organization) could be a significant value add … within the business teams or close to them”.  Yet, as the number of roles for information professionals as embedded (or portfolio) researchers and information consultants is modest, it is particularly important for information professionals to have practiced the “scary stuff” of business cases, ROI assessments, and similar analyses so as to sell their skills into new roles.  In other words, information professionals face an employment landscape in which they are in effect required to sell potential employers on the desirability of creating new positions where unique information skills will contribute to organizational goals.  Established information center managers are similarly required to demonstrate the value and ROI of the infrastructure costs they incur for the parent organization; they are in effect becoming agents for hiring and deploying information professionals working directly with subject matter experts.   Scary, yes; doable, yes.

 

Thank you Kim for your new blog.  Here’s a request to my readers:  Please spread the word that we who write about the information profession are keen to hear about your experiences!

 

The Internet and Our Brains: How do we Come to the Aid of Bombarded Clients?

Nicholas Carr, high-profile author and controversial proponent of the view that the Internet, social media, and all our gadgetry - I'll use as a collective name "all the flashing and beeping" - are altering the way contemporary human brains function, was the concluding keynote speaker at the recent Special Libraries Association annual conference.  As if to illustrate in person an experience contrasting today's bombardment, Mr. Carr's delivery evoked academic lectures of the past - a lectern reading of a fairly densely written speech requiring focus and attention on the part of the listener.  Quietly, he outlined a vision of a world in which our capacity to reason and solve problems is diminished because our brains have been conditioned to "go with" crowd wisdom and the quick fix of whatever information happens to surface when we look at our screens.  He summarized the concern that all the flashing and beeping will degrade people's ability to dig deep, to reflect, and to form well-reasoned opinions, and to his credit he ended the talk by considering how information professionals might deal with such a development.  To their credit, audience members grabbed his message in some well positioned questions and comments illustrating the very value of expertise in sifting substance from shine.

 

Those holding views opposing Carr's argue that the internet and our gadgetry is nothing more than a reflection of ourselves - a means allowing us to splash our ideas and conversations around the world in no time whereas our reach in the past was much slower and less global when traditional publishing mechanisms and telephone calls had us waiting months, weeks, or at least days before "hearing back".

 

The discussion is flourishing on the internet (!) and will no doubt take off in a number of directions as various professional domains continue to apply it in their unique spaces.

 

Since hearing Carr speak, I have pondered "is he right?"  What is the impact of the fact that typical knowledge workers today - the ones I meet in the course of working on projects, my colleagues, and I - are "interrupted" constantly by messages and meetings and spend too much time poring over busy and animated search result screens, looking for something relevant?   What can info pros do for knowledge workers who are run off their feet, arrive late to meetings because they were held up in a previous one, have their PDAs go off every few minutes, and so on?  (No wonder stress levels are off the chart, but that's another conversation.)

 

The challenges for information professionals supporting client populations bombarded with all the flashing and beeping add up:  It may be difficult even to get enough of our clients' time to find out what they're up to in their work so we can diagnose needs and design services to match; our messages may be lost in the stream of other messages arriving on their screens and devices; and they may be forced to make do with what they can find quickly because the deadline is 20 minutes away.

 

My modest proposal in that context - built on the evolution of our roles from service providers to business partners - is simple, though likely not so simple to implement.  It follows the philosophy that preparation, planning, and contextual knowledge pay off.  It is unrealistic to expect knowledge workers to consult with info pros day to day, but another type of relationship is worth considering:  When info pros are briefed as to a team's upcoming projects, they are in a position (1) to prepare "backgrounders" to relieve the team members of the effort associated with foundational research, and (2) to monitor for and supply highly targeted notifications of new material of potential interest.  There is no point in joining the barrage our clients deal with every day … our job is to reach them just in time with just the material they need to avoid spending any more of their precious time than they must in that noisy place Carr warns against.  Imagine that - equipped with the latest in technology and tools, our aim is to provide our clients a refuge from it all!

 

PS:  Care to guess how many audience members were tweeting Nicholas Carr's talk?  He rests his case.

Use the Hallways - They are More Productive than They Look!

The fact that "schmoozing" can be a powerful means of building networks is well known - yet some colleagues tell me they are uncomfortable approaching and chatting up people "just like that".  Let me share some recent and compelling evidence I hope will encourage even those who think of themselves as introverts to be deliberate about reaching out to others.  Surprising results could ensue for your projects, initiatives, and teams.

 

From my 12 June 2010 post, readers know I was in New Orleans at the 2010 annual conference of Special Libraries Association, this time in the role of candidate for election to the SLA Board of Directors.  In addition to giving formal presentations - my videotaped response to "How does SLA help members be essential in the knowledge economy?" is on SLA TV at http://www.slatv.org/media.cfm?c=758&m=3404&s=133& - the entire group of candidates had been encouraged by current board members to be proactive in attending the many social events and generally to "get out there". 

 

Doing so cemented my life long experience that at a professional event, no one is a stranger and no one objects to being approached.  In the days of traversing the conference venues, I met scores of "new" colleagues - some for a few moments, others for lengthy in-depth discussions … just by saying hello.  Cards were exchanged, further connections made (I'll put you in touch with so-and-so), and astonishing coincidences with significant implications were discovered.  Several chance encounters ended with "I'm so glad we had this conversation", and a few times I finally encountered in person someone well known to me from his or her publications.

 

Of course, well established professionals make a point of introducing new entrants to their colleagues, knowing from experience how much it benefits all parties.  For anyone less sure how to "work the crowd", here are some suggestions for what to do in the hallways and at receptions when people are not obviously rushing or reading email:

 

§   Keep many business cards on hand.  Ideally, the card should be customized to remind recipients why they have it and why they may want to connect again.  For example, an annotation could read "Seeking employment in digitization projects".  The back of the card can be used for a "mini resume".

 

§   Variations of "So far, what has been the best experience for you here?" could be a good opener.  It is useful to learn how colleagues perceive the event - and conference organizers appreciate the input!

 

§   If you see someone on his or her own, walk up, stick your hand out and be direct: "Hi, I'm Ulla from Toronto - are you enjoying the conference?"  Chances are the person you approach welcomes being greeted.  (In the unlikely event he or she signals a desire to be left alone, just move on.)

 

§   You are entitled to go beyond small talk: "May I ask what you are looking for when filling a position like the one you described?"

 

§   Look for something to offer, be it professional or personal:  "Would you like me to prepare a brief usability critique of your website?" or "I'll be happy to suggest great places to eat in Toronto that aren't in the guidebooks".

 

The conference organizers are to be commended for including a First Timers Meet & Greet to kickstart the schmoozing.  Feedback was overwhelmingly enthusiastic and I pass on to anyone who is planning a professional event the suggestion to provide a formal opportunity for newbies to meet their seasoned colleagues.

Social Collaboration: The Beautiful Combination of In-Person and Virtual Sharing

It was my privilege to be part of two recent professional events showcasing the power of collaboration:  One was large in scale and a beehive of sessions and activity – the 2010 annual conference of Canadian Library Association; the other was intimate but no less powerful – a collegial exploration of library services to teenagers organized by Stephanie Vollick (see clasy.wordpress.com for details on the “Canadian Libraries Are Serving Youth” event).

 

In both cases, I was struck by the richness of ideas emerging equally from the orchestrated sessions and the hallway or reception discussions.  Many a challenge in front of information professionals was subjected to the creativity of attendees, and it was obvious how much it meant to those present to have an opportunity to exchange direct experience and on-the-ground knowledge.  Pens were whipped out (“what was that URL again?”) and dates were made for further discussions among those who had just discovered they were working on similar projects.

 

Cabot Yu, active events organizer in CLA, coined the phrase “conference is our social collaboration space” in a conversation focusing on the need for both in-person and virtual means of communicating.  That’s when we came up with a little jingle that both are fine but the combination is divine.

 

I am further privileged to be attending the annual conference of Special Libraries Association (www.sla.org). I long ago lost count how many SLA conferences I have enjoyed – for decades, I have witnessed the evolution of the event and the association through the powerful lens provided by several thousand information professionals converging in one space.  Here, too, we are seeing the double power of personal and virtual exchange and the dedication of those who work diligently to share knowledge with their colleagues.

 

In a recent post, I stressed how conferences are not a luxury but rather an investment in our careers.  It is gratifying to see how many colleagues are turning up in New Orleans, expressing by their presence that they see it that way, too.  The beauty is that now – unlike decades ago – we have so many social networking tools for supplementing what we gain from meeting in person.  The offer of virtual conference attendance at this year’s SLA conference points in a direction I find so very encouraging:  How can we share with those who were not able to travel?

 

PS:  This year, I am honored to be on the slate of candidates for election to SLA’s Board of Directors.  It is a continued privilege to have the opportunity to engage with the professional community – more on that matter in the months to come.

Information Professionals as Sources for the Media: Reply to a Comment

Thank you to Connie Crosby for her comment on my most recent blog describing the HARO service (www.helpareporter.com).  Connie states in part:

Having been interviewed and quoted a few of times in industry and mainstream news, I am slowly coming to understand what makes a good interview for the media. One thing I was slow to learn is that [reporters] are usually looking for a criticism, and it is a challenge to sound positive while still being critical. And more often than not a soundbite from an interview is what appears, pulling it out of context and possibly leading to misinterpretation. I'm wondering, therefore, if you have come across any resources for learning how to be interviewed by reporters? Is this a type of literacy we, as information professionals, should be developing?

Perusing the requests for experts, I come to the conclusion most HARO reporters are looking for individuals whose credentials in a subject (bone health), expertise in an industry (adventure travel), or personal experience (online dating) will lend gravitas and interest to their stories - as opposed to looking for opinion on breaking news or politics.  Hence I believe we information professionals could safely offer to speak to a reporter looking for input, say, on ebooks, search engines, libraries, archives, and so on - always wrapping our comments around references to authoritative sources of substantiating information but also offering our professional insight.

Connie Crosby has a point when she suggests any media interview could result in out-of-context quotes (rarely do we get to 'vet' what the reporter is writing or saying). The PR profession offers resources for spokespersons dealing with media interactions over controversial matters calling for skill in "spin"; we information professionals would typically be in a position to comment factually and with authority on the evidence available in a matter based on the credible sources.  As an example, we can provide our analysis of the impact of proposed copyright legislation, illustrating with references to various other commentators and relevant organizations what differences of opinion may exist - and then add our professional view ("the proposed measures pose a dilemma because ...").  There is no way to prevent a reporter from extracting our words from the context ... so yes indeed, I join Connie in looking for ways to speak whereby we can minimize the risk of having our comments distorted.

For me, the bottom line is to promote the use of authoritative sources in media stories. Information professionals should *so* check out HARO because it will - in my opinion - broaden our opportunities to inject credible information references into the reporters' stories.  An imaginary response from us to a request for commentators on personal finance could read "In addition to the experts' quotes in your story, you should be sure to refer to the following authoritative sources and here's why".

The HARO Expertise/Media Marketplace: Information Professionals Should *So* Check It Out

At the recent annual conference of the Association of Independent Information Professionals, a highlight speaker was Peter Shankman, founder of HARO, Help a Reporter Out (www.helpareporter.com).  In hugely entertaining terms, he described how he had come to establish the free market where reporters, researchers, and writers meet experts who have information to offer.

 

According to the testimonials of career-changing media exposures and the number of members of the HARO family, HARO is today’s perfect rendition of ‘do you know anyone who …’ – at a global scale.  The concept is that reporters post requests – let’s say “I am looking for experts to quote in an article on rooftop gardens in cool climates to be published in [X magazine] and my deadline is [date]”.  Those who have knowledge on the topic may submit directly to the reporter a “pitch” and the reporter takes it from there.

 

HARO is an information professional’s mecca because it permits discovery of specialized and local knowledge at a range of subjects and with a regional specificity never before possible.  I encourage my readers to take a look at HARO and to assess how it may of service to stakeholders, and of course I encourage my colleagues to register as "sources".  Never know what kind of esoteric request we just happen to know about! 

Guest Post: Why Educators Should Focus on Information Skills - No Matter What the Discipline

This guest post is contributed by Tim Handorf, who writes on the topics of top online colleges.  He welcomes comments at tim.handorf.20@googlemail.com.

 

Last year, de Stricker's blog featured a post entitled “Social Capital: Invest in It.” The post summarized the reasons why we should invest in this increasingly important component of a system that makes use of interconnected sets of human relationships without exploiting them. Social capital adds a human dimension to traditional definitions of capital.

 

Social capital isn't a new concept - the earliest human communities depended on it for survival -

but it is now saturating the very fabric of our lives in a breathtakingly exciting way. The most inspiring part of it all is for information professionals is that information science is at the center of social capital as its purveyor, which is all the more reason why educators must stress skills in information seeking and management in order to maximize social capital.  Whether they are producing graduates in engineering or sociology, educators will serve their students well by steering their attention to the importance of using social tools for positive outcomes. 

 

Social capital and information science draw from various sources, and so by extension they are more conceptual than concrete. Both systems traffic in ideas, and ideas, pure and simple, are becoming more important in almost any forward-thinking career.  Managing information will be the most powerful force in any future development, whether economic, environmental, or social in nature. If that simple fact isn't enough of a clarion call for educators to emphasize information skills in their curricula, I'm not sure what is.

 

Let me illustrate by citing a few specific trends in social capital and how they are fueled by information management.

 

1. Mass Collaboration or Wikinomics

 

A pervasive trend in the world of social capital is a phenomenon known as mass collaboration, or, more popularly, “Wikinomics”. The main tenets of mass collaboration are outlined in the book by Dan Tapscott and Anthony Williams by the same name: Being open, peering, sharing, and acting globally. Businesses, governments, and even social activists are increasingly embracing the Wikinomics model. What's most interesting is that information is the currency of mass collaboration. As such, when educators stress information skills, they are preparing their students for how pretty much every large-scale, idea-based project will operate.

 

2. Microcredit/finance

 

A few years ago, I had the privilege of hearing Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus speak. Yunus is considered the founding father of microcredit, an innovation in economics that considers future potential—not past credit history—in approving business startup loans. Microcredit was designed to battle poverty in the third world and has met with stunning success, especially in Yunus' home country, Bangladesh. The social capital connection here is fairly self-evident, but how does information science come into the picture? Simple. Yunus' basic idea was eventually appropriated and transported to a web-based platform so that microcredit online has been implemented by various organizations to enable peer-to-peer lending. As such, microcredit can been considered a subset of Wikinomics - based on the efficient dissemination of information.

 

3. Blessed Unrest: The emergence of the “largest movement in the world” that “no one saw coming.”

 

While the idea of mass collaboration is broad and that of microcredit is specific, they both fall into an umbrella categorization first discussed by noted entrepreneur and environmentalist Paul Hawken in his 2007 book “Blessed Unrest”. Hawken theorizes that information-based, grassroots organizations in the public and private sectors are banding together, thanks to the connectivity of the Internet and thus thanks to the effective sharing and management of information, to solve global problems.

Investing in Our Careers: Conferences are Not a Luxury

Receiving rave reviews from attendees, the recent annual conference of the Association of Independent Professionals (aiip.org) was a perfect case study illustrating the value of direct interaction between peers with similar interests and concerns.  The enthusiastic feedback to the organizing team focused on the long range benefits and takeaways of discovering the latest thinking in relevant topical areas, having confidence-building 'aha' moments, and establishing personal contacts.

 

The conversation among attendees about the value of the conference reflected similar comments I have heard throughout my working life.  Given the understandable personal budgetary concerns prevalent currently, I want to reiterate here - I have touched on the topic in the blog previously - the salient and universally applicable points regarding personal investment of time and money in professional conferences. Unless it just so happens a conference is held in our back yard, the out of pocket costs - shared car rides and hotel rooms notwithstanding - are significant.  But I believe they are necessary and justifiable investments: 

 

§ The personal connections we make at a conference may last - and yield yet more connections - for our entire careers.

§ The value of the trust arising from having interacted personally cannot be overstated.

§ The concentrated dose of information about experience gained by colleagues would likely be much more time consuming to obtain via websites, social media, podcasts, etc.

§ Hearing what speakers have to say and what fellow attendees think about it right then and there is a nuanced experience offering the opportunity to ask face to face "could you give an example?", "how did you specifically implement?", "what should I be concerned about given my situation?",  and so on. 

§ Where there are exhibits, the conference is a unique opportunity for everyone to learn about information industry trends and for buyers to engage with vendors in detailed discussions about their products and services.  Demonstrations and brief tutorials are typically offered on the spot. 

 

Viewed over the long career term, what we pay to be with our peers at a professional conference is worth every penny.  Of course, we arrive with detailed agendas outlining how to spend every precious hour to soak up the program offerings.  Then, using the social events to catch up with colleagues and meet new ones is a valuable bonus - requiring, of course, some stamina on top of a 10-hour day packed with activities.

 

Having benefited from and enjoyed (and yes, returned exhausted from) professional conferences for decades, it is second nature for me to prioritize them in my budgeting.  I encourage everyone to develop and maintain the habit:  Invest in your career - go join your peers! 

Information Professionals as Transportation Managers? You Bet!

Regular readers will be familiar with my belief in information professionals’ relevance in business contexts not usually considered to be our domain.  As travel is on everyone’s mind just now, here’s an example:  In every airport or railway station, I seek opportunities to watch the employees who handle all the background activity - fuel pumping, cargo loading, cleaning, and so on – because I’m fascinated with the orchestration of processes resulting in passengers being invited to march on board.  Yet the work I am able to see is just the beginning:  What about the information underpinnings of the spoken or recorded messages we hear once inside the planes and trains?  How could I even get to the windows overlooking the gate or track area without the IT infrastructure of the check-in kiosks and their underlying information and data management? 

 

In my next life, I will look into engagement in the field of traffic management.  For now, I pay attention to the similarity between most organizations and transportation entities:  The revenue or funding any enterprise earns must cover a vast array of functions associated with information, data, records, and knowledge to sustain its overt activities, and it would soon be untoward if those functions were to fail.  That’s where information professionals come in.  They can trace the information flows, find the blockages or gaps, and recommend strategies for dealing with them; they can spot opportunities for streamlining processes to get the necessary information to the right person at the right point in the chain of business transactions; and they can recommend ways to improve customer experience through analysis of the activity evidence at hand.

 

But we must promote our contributions to managing the business process:  Yes indeed, we are relevant on the team designing that new rapid transit system.  Certainly, we can advise on the customer service centre’s knowledge base with a view to minimizing callers’ wait time.  And most assuredly, we will help interpret past customer behaviour for the purposes of new service planning.

 

The task of convincing employers to hire information professionals for roles in such areas as operational analysis and capacity planning – just to name a few examples related to transportation - continues to be challenging.  I’m always looking for case studies and ask my readers to offer any they may have.

 

The Copyright Cost - and Loss - of Societal Memory

Corporate memory is a key concern for many information professionals and a focus in many of my projects.  I join several colleagues in speaking and writing about the cost associated with protecting it and of not having access to it.  Thanks to Marc Aronson, I was just reminded the memory-loss scenario pertains to society as a whole - exacerbated by none other than the e-book, our current poster gadget for new media.

 

In a 2 April 2010 New York Times article entitled "The End of History (Books)" www.nytimes.com/2010/04/03/opinion/03aronson.html?th&emc=th, he paints a thought provoking picture of gaps in societal memory induced by the cost of acquiring rights to feature images or text from previous works in new nonfiction works :  "Seeing the clouds on the horizon, publishers painstakingly remove photos and even text extracts from print books as they are converted to e-books. So instead of providing a dazzling future, the e-world is forcing nonfiction to become drier, blander and denser."

 

Clearly and concisely, Marc Aronson explains how nonfiction writers seek to give depth to their work through showcasing something outside of it - objects or literature from the past, issues discussed by others - but encounter barriers to illuminating their writing with such illustrations due to prohibitive costs.  He points out how current copyright regulations and rights agreement structures as they affect e-books could limit new nonfiction works to drawing on public domain material or to creating completely original material, thus leaving in obscurity a vast landscape of existing content that is in practice untouchable.

 

He goes on to propose a logical and simple copyright payment scheme for facilitating the use of repurposed items to enliven and enrich new nonfiction works.  The scheme acknowledges the interests of all stakeholders in fostering a vibrant new platform for selected items of content to tell the stories of the past using the media of the future.

 

I commend Marc Aronson for proposing a re-think of rights payments to address unintended consequences of current copyright schemes, and I urge my readers to keep the article in mind next time they hold their e-readers.

 

As for the information generated within an organization, I suppose we could say it's fortunate re-using it is free but for the effort of keeping it and ensuring it can be found.  It's unfortunate the latter effort is often out-prioritized by other organizational activities.

Talk about a dream job: LinkedIn to open office in Canada, will need staff

Having had a profile on LinkedIn for a very long time, I was recently surprised to find that some MLIS students weren't familiar with the service.  I suggested in the strongest possible terms that they get busy creating their profiles later the same day!

LinkedIn management may not instinctively look to the information profession to fill upcoming positions in the just-announced new office in Canada … but we could encourage it.  Have a look at the Financial Post article at http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=2738867 and be sure to check out the links to related stories … great food for thought there.

In the business of connecting people and information and connecting people with people, we information professionals are in a position to offer the LinkedIn team our experience with content management including the applicable categorization and labeling, usability, alerting services, and collaboration tools (to name just a few relevant areas).  We could turn out to be a good source of product development suggestions; one coming quickly to mind is that a template or similar tool would be helpful in assisting profile writers go beyond the standard resume-like model to include descriptions of skills in such a way as to demonstrate their transferability.  In fact, a transferable-skills focus might just be a good angle for the new auto-match feature being tested now http://blog.linkedin.com/2010/03/22/linkedin-profile-match/.

LinkedIn has demonstrated impressive product development over its lifetime.  Wouldn't it be one cool job to help the team continue? 

Liberating Buried Information: Access is Not Enough, and Indexing is Expensive

Many years ago, brilliant innovators at Statistics Canada, Carleton University, and the Social Science Federation of Canada conceived the notion of "liberating" otherwise locked-up data files to deliver them to universities across Canada for the use of researchers.  Project DLI, Data Liberation Initiative (www.statcan.gc.ca/dli-ild/dli-idd-eng.htm), ranks in my view as among the most successful schemes to put information collected for one purpose to work in support of other purposes. 

 

Letting the files out was step one, but the challenge was finding exactly where data on specific topics resided.  Searching was just like looking for a needle in a haystack until a standard - called Data Documentation Initiative or DDI - permitted indexing at the variable level and used XML structures combined with powerful search functionality to find buried data treasures and display them in context - see http://search1.odesi.ca/ as an example.  The investment in the indexing was required before the full value of the access could be realized.

 

DLI and DDI came to mind recently during a discussion about the challenges associated with finding buried text information - information contained for example in printed or imaged reports but not detectable by a search engine or catalog search function because the catalog records or metadata for the reports aren't sufficiently detailed.  The question was raised, "could we go back and include in the catalog record the table of contents of a report and abstracts of chapters?"  In other words, could we "liberate" the details held in the body of each report?  The answer:  Certainly we could - if we could afford it.  In-depth indexing of information objects to provide intellectually value-added precision and granularity in searching is very expensive because it requires time consuming work by professionals familiar with the subject matters at hand. 

 

Digitization of print materials provides a major boost to information discoverability, but we are all familiar with the avalanche syndrome - what's the use of retrieving a huge list of documents containing a search term any old place in the text?  The one paragraph we need right now to solve a particular problem is in there … but it is beyond our practical reach.  It's ironic that without indexing, printed and electronic objects present similar retrieval challenges when it comes to unearthing the nugget buried on page 78.

 

The case for investing in indexing to assure future retrievability is obvious in concept.  Funding the activity is another story.  The takeaway for today's information object creators is simple:  Whenever we consign an object to a repository no matter how informal, let's be mindful not just of attaching metadata where possible but also of incorporating in prominent places such vocabulary as might assist future searchers when they are attempting to dig it up.

 

Working for a Vendor: Look Into It

At the Ontario Library Association Superconference just concluded, I once again had the opportunity to gaze out over a large exhibit hall full of vendors devoting a great deal of effort and expense to give customers and potential customers the opportunity to speak directly with representatives.  Seeing so many information industry companies in one place always reminds me to encourage those seeking employment to include in their searches entities in the publishing, software, library systems, and related areas.  True, being a vendor representative is a subspecialty in our profession - and not one for which formal education prepares new professionals explicitly.  Some students actually say "oh no, I could never be in sales".  My answer is always "ah, but it's not sales, it's customer service!".

 

A few colleagues who have recently "gone over to the other side" have contrasted library work with what they felt was a more daunting exposure as vendor representatives.  They were right on the money in identifying a key feature of the front line job experience of vendor representatives:  Unable to promise any kind of product or service enhancement and unable to provide technical detail explaining, say, a functionality glitch, they are in the hot seat in two ways:  They are expected by their employers to portray products and services in a positive light with consummate professionalism; and they are expected to react to any criticism with consummate poise. 

 

Fortunately, customers tend to be understanding when they feel they are hearing the full story.  One thing customers value especially highly is the ability of a vendor representative to make executive decisions - granting a free trial of an online service, for example.  It is my hope that vendors look for ways to give their new representatives as much leeway as possible here - after all, it's a win win when the (potential) customer is pleased and when the representative experiences the satisfaction of making it happen.

 

If you are looking for work and feel uneasy about a vendor role, let me assure you:  Customer facing positions in the information industry are perfect for information professionals.  Your value proposition for getting hired is that potential customers react well to dealing with a fellow professional.  Your value to the employer over time is the "consultative selling" you are able to execute as you assist customers select the best options, implement them, promote a new product to end users, and so on.

 

A designated seating area where vendors and job seekers may meet for informal discussions could be a good addition to any exhibit hall.  Just my 2 cents!

 

More on Information Credentials and Continuing Education

In response to the February 10 post, Wendy Reynolds provided the following comment: 

 

Fascinating post, Ulla. I wonder if some of these jobs come after a few years of experience in the workplace. How much can one degree program include, and still provide an meaningful educational experience? If the program goes in too many directions, there's a risk that the marketplace won't know what to do with the grads. Communication is going to be a really important piece of this. I'll be watching with interest.

 

With her permission, I shared it with Bruce Stewart, the new Director of the Professional Learning Centre at University of Toronto's Faculty of Information, who in turn permitted me to share his reply:

 

When I think about degree programs, what I see is a stream coherent and comprehensive enough to allow those who complete the Masters level to assume a professional role and to allow those who so wish to carry on into the stronger research focus of the Doctoral stream.

 

Continuing education, therefore, takes up the slack vis-à-vis the changing careers of the degree holders. There are also — particularly in the records management field — many who are transferred in to do clerical/process-oriented jobs who never did hold the professional degree, and these are catered to where the need makes sense. For those with the Masters degree out in the workforce, however, continuing education should keep them up to date in their field and give them paths to move amongst the Information space streams as their roles evolve and grow. A librarian, for instance, might find him/herself driving a project to define the information architecture for an online service in the future: while there are IA experts, some "new background" would be needful, and this is a need we should be able to meet.

 

The mark of a true profession — say, law or medicine — is the requirement from the professional society for continuing education to retain the right to practice. The Information professions do not yet share this characteristic, but it is — as engineers have shown for years — a good touchstone to have. (IT "professionals", despite a half-century of aspirations toward professional recognition, have not shared that commitment, and I suspect that's one of the solid reasons they are not seen to be professionals in the same way as are solicitors or surgeons or even chartered accountants or professional engineers.)

 

In our Faculty's "space", the Information Management and Records Management areas have the least sense of professional definition; Librarians and Museum curators do understand themselves to be professionals, but do not yet have the full public recognition of being "a profession" as the Law Society or College of Physicians does. But, because our "space" for continuing education is as broadly defined as it needs to be to keep pace with the Faculty's research interests and teaching, our catalogue will always (I suspect) feel "more scattered" than Continuing Legal Education or Continuing Medical Education programs do to the outside viewer.

 

I hope the way we revamp our catalogue (online and in print) will help make some of that apparent confusion go away over time.

 

Many thanks to Wendy and Bruce for their input!

Addendum to Feb 10: Wendy Reynolds' November 2009 Post

Wendy Reynolds kindly reminded me of one of her previous posts:  Dealing with the outlook for information professionals' jobs, it's highly relevant to my recent focus - check it out at http://www.slaw.ca/2009/11/01/speaking-out/#comments

The Relevance of Information Credentials: We have Work to Do

My fellow instructors in the Professional Learning Centre at the University of Toronto Faculty of Information and I had the occasion recently to meet with its new Director, Bruce Stewart (www.ischool.utoronto.ca/news-events/news/professional-learning-centre-welcomes-its-new-director).  During our meeting, we touched on the ramifications of the fact that "information credentials" prepare professionals for many jobs and functions going far beyond the traditional ones.  We each could relate personal experience illustrating how expertise in the management of records, documents, information objects such as multimedia clips, intellectual property rights, and other variations of information and knowledge is relevant in workplaces that are likely outside the job search scope for recent MIS graduates and mid-to-late career changers alike - and similarly out of view for managers looking for qualified personnel.  We see a need for efforts to bring together the cadre of employers needing information professionals, but not labeling them as such, and the cadre of information professionals whose skills are easily transferable to a wide range of settings.

 

As an example, some information professionals work as business analysts.  Wouldn't information credentials be relevant in facets of safety and security work as well?  Public policy analysis and development deserves a closer look as a career path for information professionals; information forensics could prove a fascinating line of work, and so on.  However, "we're not there yet".  For starters, typical job descriptions, classifications, and assessments require tuning to accommodate the contributions skilled information professionals are in reality able to bring to the table.

 

Our discussion turned to the need for supplementing technical information related skills with "soft" ones associated with organizational dynamics, interpersonal communication, the art of influencing at the grassroots and senior decision maker levels, managerial and political savvy, and the like.  Something as basic as presenting oneself convincingly to a potential employer outside traditional mainstream work settings was pointed to as an example of a skill area often receiving insufficient attention.

 

Working to assist our course attendees widen their skills and their career scopes, we instructors in effect participate in a permanent campaign to deliver the benefits of information credentials in new domains such as the ones suggested here.  There is much work to be done, and I for one look forward to the ongoing process of doing my part.  Welcome, Bruce!

Business Case Packaging: The Role of Visuals and Presentation Skills

Thank you to Karen Huffman for inviting me to guest webex today for her Library Technologies & Project Management class at Catholic University of America.  Karen had asked me to cover the subject of developing business cases, and I provided a highly condensed version of the material in my book on the topic (http://books.infotoday.com/books/BusinessCasesforInfoPros.shtml).  The exchange after the presentation touched on some aspects I'd like to share here, with credit to the class members.  Those aspects go into the series of what my colleagues and I refer to as 'things we didn't hear about when we went to school'.

 

Make it visual:

 

At senior levels, some decisions are made quite quickly - contributing factors could include prior familiarity with the circumstances at hand, previous evidence pointing toward an approach, and the combined voices of stakeholders having chimed in.  In the "boardroom moment", there is not enough time to wade through long texts or spreadsheets - instead, punchy visuals summarizing data and illustrating desirable future states can be powerful persuaders.  There is a reason data visualization is a hot business area - given the same number of seconds for a person to assimilate information, much more can be crammed into visual means than is possible to communicate through the written and spoken word.

 

To be sure, a business case document must be solidly backed up with evidence, indicators, references to published literature, quotes from authorities, and so on.  But crystallizing facts and statistics into images to help decision makers understand quickly the key messages could be the factor setting one case apart from others when the votes are cast.  Of course, visualization may be a challenge for information professionals because our cases may be abstract to put it mildly; teaming up with people talented in the art of creating visuals or looking for an appropriate continuing education course could be advantageous.

 

Make it memorable:

 

In my book, I emphasized the value of practicing a business case presentation so that it comes across with factual heft, research strength, and professional polish … what I didn't say but wholeheartedly endorse is that - as a class member pointed out - our few minutes in front of the executive committee must also be vivid and memorable.

 

For information professionals advancing and advocating initiatives, I believe "it's not about us, it's about the stakeholders".  We do not ask for funding … the stakeholders do.  We are not pushing for change … the opinion leaders / knowledge workers / sales & client service reps (etc) are.  Yet we are likely one day to be standing there in the boardroom, having 10 minutes to pitch our proposal and put all our research and previous work into one concise delivery.  Skills in getting and keeping the attention of a tough audience are paramount!  "Where do I learn such skills?" you may ask.  I told Karen's class that several of my colleagues have described the strong boost in confidence they gained from the Toastmasters process (www.toastmasters.org).  Several avenues can be explored … the key is to be goal oriented about the need to build skill in engaging an audience.

 

Many thanks to Karen's class for raising these points.

What are the Non-Mainstream Jobs?

This week, I had the pleasure of speaking, with colleagues Derek Bates, Claire Lysnes, and Tylene Reaume, to students in the Master of Library and Information Science program at the University of Western Ontario.  Erin McDonald, pioneer in establishing the SLA student group there, had taken the initiative to invite her fellow students to discover what "special librarians" actually do - and our first indicator of curiosity was the fact that the room was packed.  The questions raised by the students soon confirmed that the job opportunities available outside mainstream libraries are the subject of great interest. 

 

My colleagues described their career paths and the typical functions they carry out in supporting knowledge workers in the corporate enterprises they serve - ranging from planning large, long term knowledge management projects to producing answers to research questions "needed yesterday" - and characterized the skills and aptitudes required in fast paced settings, encouraging the students by stressing how rewarding they had found their work.  I suggested the students think about their "cultural fit" to determine the type of environment where they might feel most comfortable, contrasting (say) the nature of a job supporting intranets in a large corporation with a sales function in an startup software company, and pointed out the universal benefit of building social capital and professional visibility starting now. 

 

How does one get a non-mainstream job?  Organizations already featuring an information or knowledge management centre  or already aware they need staff with MLIS qualifications typically advertise on information faculties' job boards when they want to fill a position in records management, research, knowledge management, customer service, or IT.  But it stands out that some types of employers may not; as a result, job seekers are advised to look for job postings on the websites of organizations such as:

 

ú Museums and archives collecting, protecting, and making accessible various objects - think maps, photos, archeological artifacts, art and design - through such functions as digitization, indexing, and web display.

 

ú News media, publishers, and organizations in the arts and cultural sector.

 

ú Government agencies needing analysts for research, policy development, program delivery, and myriad other functions.

 

ú Companies selling content management, enterprise search, and software products and services.

 

Can one create a position for oneself in an organization without an information centre or other obvious unit?  Our consensus was that doing so would be possible through an existing connection to a manager in such an organization but would be a long shot without such a personal "in".

 

I had started my talk with the musing that "career planning" may be a contradiction in terms, given how many of us can tell the story of falling into a particular job through happenstance - but nothing stops anyone from giving luck a little push by greatly broadening the scope of the search for a job.

 

Are Information Seeking Modes and Styles Associated with Professions?

In discussions with knowledge workers about their information requirements, several distinct modes of looking for something tend to surface.  Two common ones are "I need to stay on top of every new publication, conference paper, and blog post dealing with X" or "I want to trace the evolution of current opinion regarding Y".  In the first case, the driver is a desire to insure against missing information.  The second case represents a look back to benefit from accumulated evidence or accumulated context - something may not have grabbed our attention when it first appeared, but now it does.  (The looking-back mode is, of course, illustrated in end-of-year and end-of-decade top-10 lists in which commentators review events or  developments to assess what, in retrospect, stands out or appears to have future implications.)  Information professionals are well positioned to serve information seekers in those two modes.

 

 

In a third mode, it's trickier: "I don't know what I'm looking for, but I'll recognize it when I see it".  Here, the information seekers typically wish to mine a wide range of information sources for nuggets triggering ideas or connections, and information professionals rely on their understanding of the clients' projects and concerns, and on "more-like-that" and "forget-that" feedback, to refine their ability to serve up candidate material potentially containing items of interest.

 

 

To these seeking modes we then add individual seeking styles:  On one end of a spectrum, some seekers have high tolerance for volume and don't mind scanning through a lot of stuff and following links "just in case something interesting turns up" - in fact appreciate the serendipity - while on the other end, seekers look for information in a systematic way using a set of tried-and-true sources, aiming to isolate quickly a specific answer for the question at hand.  Seeking style has a further component associated with  how much experience a knowledge worker has, how intensely he or she communicates with the peer  community, and other aspects influencing confidence that "enough evidence has been collected for the purpose".

 

 

Are the various modes and styles associated with subject matter or professions?  Shannon Wills thinks so, based on her experience with the way engineers go about looking for information.  shannonwills23@gmail.com writes for toponlineengineeringdegree.com and  sent me this comment:

"Those with formal training in an engineering discipline look for and apply information differently from the rest of us.  They look for information in a logical sequence, first researching potential sources and then deciding if these sources are viable and reliable.  Once they have confirmed the authoritativeness of sources, they go about looking for the information they want in a rational and ordered way. Engineers know what to discard and what to retain, and they’re adept at putting together all they glean from different sources into a form that makes sense and is true to what they need in a given situation. An engineer would prefer a map rather than verbal or written directions."  

 

It could be argued that a preference for precision or comfort with ambiguity might simultaneously inform an individual's choice of academic study and his or her preferred mode and style of information seeking.  On the other hand, so many other factors play a role that it may be impossible to connect information seeking behavior to professions beyond some generalizations. (Thesis topic, anyone?)

As information professionals, we need a hefty dollop of insight into our clients' individual information seeking modes and styles - and we need to recognize how those modes and styles might change over time as project life cycles evolve, as extrinsic events impinge on policy making, as experts acquire experience, and so on.  That's why I use the term "information diagnostic" when describing the activity of getting to know the daily reality in which our current and potential clients work:   We diagnose not only what they (think they) need, but also how they prefer to ingest any information we may provide, how much they can absorb at any given time, how wide a net to cast in order to be able to draw their attention to items they would likely never see on their own, etc.  Understanding the information seeking modes and styles of the individuals we serve, quite apart from our professional expertise in the relevant information sources, is key to building the trust-based professional relationship we wish to have with them.

Publishing's March: Part 3 - Implications for Info Pros

(Continued from December 9 and 13)

 

What does it mean for Info Pros when our clients work with transitory "publications" assembled on their screens on the fly (think http://livingstories.googlelabs.com/)?  How do we assist users who participate in scholarly forums and thus exchange ideas and observations outside the traditional publishing channels?  What do we need to do differently vis a vis a younger clientele accustomed to the kind of information gathering typical of social networks?

In our current context, we are already working with the social networking tools and with the open source community in order to straddle the span from traditional publishing and dissemination mechanisms to the evolving ones.  We continue to be ideally placed to act as connectors between the long established and the new means of publishing - and thus of knowledge sharing, too.

Our future challenge is assessing how best to support our clients.  For example, how do we balance work to ease access to and use of scholarly publishers' materials versus work to help clients navigate the ecosystem Michael Nielsen talked about (see my November 13 post), and how do we support the educational community's need to provide for mobile learning at the same time we sustain the original academic learning environment?

One useful guiding principle could be that we strive to be viewed as information partners and "secret sauce for success" by our clients - as opposed to being seen as advocates of certain approaches to information gathering.  The fact that we may demonstrate qualitative and other differences among sources of information and among tools is a strength to apply when appropriate; our message is "come talk to us, together we will work out what is best for you to save time and get what you need" rather than "we represent an official standard in information practices".  (Our clients may well come to hold the view we are the gold standard, but it's best they form such an opinion on their own.)

It is equally essential for us to work closely with the developers of existing and new sharing tools, public ones as well as those intended for internal use in an organization.  Herein lies a special challenge in that such developers may not leap to the conclusion - as Google is widely reported to have done - that they need librarians on their teams! 

On January 21, I'll be joining colleagues on a career oriented panel event organized by the SLA Toronto Student Group:  Yet another opportunity to reinforce the message "the publishing industry is on a march and we need to be in it!"

Publishing's March: Part 2 - Users as Co-Publishers

(Continuation from November 9)

 

Possibly one of the more impressive features of the broader world of publishing is the degree to which users are now involved as contributors of content.   Here are just a few examples; Thad McIlroy's collage of resources on www.futureofpublishing.com is worth reviewing for additional pointers to the evolution of publishing as we knew it. 

 

1.  User-submitted photos in Panoramio enhance Google's Earth service. 

 

2.  Commentators on the announcement of automatic captioning of English-language YouTube videos speculated that user-submitted captions for non-English language videos might not be far behind.  

 

3.  Stanford University students may now submit their dissertations directly to Google instead of or in addition to submitting it for a fee to ProQuest.  A representative from that company in my audience raised the matter of value-add features such as indexing, guaranteed preservation, and more - and I completely agree those features are worthwhile; however it is a practical option for students to consider letting Google hold their work in its growing global repository.  (See "Google publishes Stanford dissertations online" in the 16 November 2009 San Francisco Chronicle http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/16/BA721AK4NV.DTL&type=printable.)   

 

4.  International scientist Michael Nielsen comments:  "What’s new today is the flourishing of an ecosystem of startups that are experimenting with new ways of communicating research, some radically different to conventional journals. Consider Chemspider, the excellent online database of more than 20 million molecules, recently acquired by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Consider Mendeley, a platform for managing, filtering and searching scientific papers … or consider startups like SciVee (YouTube for scientists), the Public Library of Science … and dozens more. And then there are companies like Wordpress, Friendfeed and Wikimedia that weren’t started with science in mind, but are increasingly helping scientists communicate their research."  (MichaelNielsen.org blog "Is Scientific Publishing about to be Disrupted?" June 29, 2009)

  

What do such new types of publishing scenarios mean for information professionals' work?

 

(To be continued)

 

Publishing's March: Part 1 - From Static to Dynamic

At the recent Online Information 2009 event in London UK, I had the pleasure of keynoting the "Publishers Stepping Up to the Challenge" track on December 3.  Preparing for the talk turned out to be an exciting discovery as it provided an opportunity to review examples of the evolving definition of the concept of publishing. 

 

Inspired by Stephen E. Arnold's series of books on Google - in my humble opinion required reading for anyone in the publishing industry - www.infonortics.com/publications/google/google-trilogy.html - and by articles by Noah Richler and Alex Hutchinson in the November 2009 issue of The Walrus, I selected as a key theme the increasingly dynamic - in some cases fleeting - nature of publishing and the varying involvement and effort of users in the process.

 

For starters, publishing is a means to an end - we don't value or pay for it in its own right.  We pay to find things, learn, be entertained, and so on.  Therefore, publishing must evolve to meet the demands of our evolving styles living, learning, researching, and communicating. Contrast  the old style of publishing - going from hand writing through typesetting through printing, where the consumer had no participation in the process until the book or journal issue was in hand - versus the contemporary wiki and annotation mechanisms allowing for participation throughout the process of making information accessible.  Come to think of it, the distinction between "public" and "published" is blurring.

 

Compare the use of an old fashioned map - where the user must interpret a two-dimensional image from above, transform it into a mental three-dimensional image "from the side" and devise a strategy for getting from point A to point B - with today's GPS commands getting truck drivers stuck in unsuitable narrow alleys.  We like the convenience of the GPS systems, but as Alex Hutchinson suggested in "Global Impositioning Systems"  (http://www.walrusmagazine.com/articles/2009.11-health-global-impositioning-systems/, they may lead us to abdicate judgment.

 

The ever smaller granularity of published items - $.99 individual book chapters at Shortcovers.com, personalized selections of various materials at Bookriff.com to make one-of-a-kind assemblies - has consequences of various kinds, one being our ability to trace them. There is another implication:  Noah Richler in "Turning the Page" http://www.walrusmagazine.com/articles/2009.11-business-turning-the-page/ refers to the stunning effect of the consignment scheme, invented by Max Schuster in the 1930s and saving the book publishing industry then:  That scheme sees 24 million more books trucked around to book stores in Canada each year than are sold.  That's 200,000 lost trees, lots of fuel, and lots of book pulp.  Could more kindle reading save some of those trees?

 

To be continued …

What's in a Name? Research, that's What

Last week, Special Libraries Association Toronto Chapter members Rebecca Jones and Kim Silk presented, and led a discussion about, the SLA Alignment Project research resulting - for now - in the name-change vote currently taking place (the research is described at http://www.sla.org/content/SLA/alignment/portal/index.html).  It deserves attention that the research was not focused on the name concern, but broadly on the perceptions held "out there" of the information profession, its practitioners, and the roles performed by them.  As the research results rolled in, they so strongly pointed to a weakness in the association's name that it was deemed necessary to act on that particular aspect sooner rather than later - but the project is far wider.

 

The research sheds light on a wide range of challenges we need to confront in order to enhance and sustain our perceived relevance for stakeholders, and prominent among them is the fact that the language we tend to use in describing our work doesn't resonate the way we might have thought it does among senior managers.  In other words, as the saying goes, "what we have here is a failure to communicate".  As we work to construct our value proposition - associating our expertise and functions with positive outcomes and advantages for the organizations we serve - we can only benefit from paying close attention to the messages and terms that "play well" in the conversation we have with our stakeholders, just as it's helpful to know what terminology doesn't support the conversation well.

 

The research informs long range efforts for the association on our behalf and provides tools we may all adopt individually as time goes on.  It confirms observations my colleagues and I have made over many years of project work:  It doesn't matter how strategic the work of information professionals is and how expertly it's performed if decision makers' perception is that we are unnecessary.  It supports my experience that it's inadvisable to engage in marketing until we have a thorough understanding how we are seen and understood by those who control the budgets:  What roles do they believe we fulfill?  What difference do they believe our work makes for the organization?  What impact do they think our efforts have on the employees who "do the business of the business"?

 

Some of those in attendance had been invited to focus groups held as part of the research.  They related vividly just how difficult it was to hear some of what the non-librarian participants in the focus groups had to say. It may be painful to learn how our work is viewed by decision makers, but we need the insight.  Only when thus equipped are we in a position to engage in "that conversation with stakeholders".

 

Once again, it was plain how engaged information professionals are in their profession.  As noted in my last post, I believe the unprecedented level of participation in the discussions sparked by the proposed name change will in the end have positive results:  These discussions are making us all think. Hard.

Community Spirit: A New Library

Much of my work involves assessments of the value or return on investment flowing from information services and libraries, and colleagues often raise in conversation the challenges associated with making a credible case that it is worth paying for the content and expertise to support an organization or commmunity through a library.  Imagine my joy in receiving the following message from a friend who - in addition to having secured two thirds of the necessary funding from the provincial and federal governments - has thrown himself into the role of personal network fund raiser for a new public library:

Our new library is destined to be a hub for the community catering to the diverse needs of all citizens.   For example:

P our distance education partnership with the local College will allow us to provide skills training to those who do not have access to transportation or have limited funds

P our youth will now benefit from weekend movies in our new multi-purpose meeting room

P our seniors can retreat to the reading lounge equipped with comfortable chairs and a gas fireplace

P our youth lacking high speed Internet access at home can take advantage of our wireless connection and many computer stations 

P our young children will enjoy the new younger years discovery space and enhanced programming

P our partnership with the College will bring general interest courses to our community

P our reading garden will provide a place to reflect, meditate, and escape with your book 

P our facility will provide a venue where our families can learn and play together

P our green building will embrace the latest in energy efficient and environmental  technologies and provide an off-grid emergency preparedness center during times of crisis

P our state of the art library resource center will be equipped with the latest in electronics catering to business meeting, training and workshop needs

So why are we so committed to a new library for the Municipality?  To us, it's all about creating a level playing field where all citizens regardless of age or income can come and enjoy life’s hidden treasures.  We look to the library as a social equalizer where anyone can access the internet, borrow a movie, read a book, browse a magazine, watch a film, learn a new skill, work on a hobby, find employment, work on a school project, type a letter, fax a resume or simply play in a safe and welcoming environment.  

My friend's letter was timely as the giving season is near, and this year's donation is going to that new library.  Kudos and thanks to a friend who never ceases to look out for the well being of those around him.  If you would like to join in supporting the effort, I'll put you in touch. 

What's in a Name? Identity, that's What

Having recently had the privilege of giving a workshop at the 11th Internet Librarian International conference in London (http://www.internet-librarian.com/2009/), I was enjoying the company of my professional peers, discussing with them a wide variety of topics according to the wide variety of specializations represented among us when suddenly "it" began traveling the halls.  "It" was the announcement of a proposed new name for 100-year-old Special Libraries Association.

 

In the days since then, the discussions have billowed through the virtual halls of the social media, reflecting a level of engagement I haven't seen since … perhaps ever.  The posts have shone a sharp light on the fact that our work eludes description in a single association name with an elegant, easily pronounced acronym.  The domains in which holders of library and information science degrees are active have broadened in step with the introduction of technologies and tools - so much so that a unifying designation is beyond us.

 

John Cotton Dana got around the naming challenge when he founded SLA by choosing the word "Libraries" as opposed to "Librarians" (although it's interesting to note that the name was a compromise even then).  By now, it's clear our association name ought to focus on the individual's contribution rather than on any entity in which he or she is active … but that's where the consensus ends.

 

So who are we?  The name debate reveals that we may each have a strong sense of our own professional identity but that such personal definitions are just that.  Much of the sentiment bubbling to the surface touches on "that's not who I am", "the new name would be just as incomprehensible to decision makers as the old one was so I still can't use it", and similar versions of an opinion that the new name won't solve a problem that has dogged us for as long as we can remember: The opaqueness of our profession.  As an example of a profession without that challenge, physicians may occupy myriad specialty positions yet are comfortable with the collective name - and they rarely find themselves having to explain to anyone the nature of what they do for a living!  But here's the key for me:  Physicians enjoy a pervasive societal understanding of their role and the outcome of their work. We don't.

 

We will likely never solve the vocabulary puzzle, for the simple reason that the impacts we have are too difficult to characterize succinctly in any way to do them justice.  Judging from the many conversations I have had with fellow professionals for decades about our choice of vocation, many of us share the hindsight realization that whatever mental image we may have had when we signed up for graduate school was blown out of the water if not in our first job then certainly soon thereafter.  Never mind, we may have thought:  The work is too fascinating and our results too rewarding to worry about what labels we wear. 

 

The result of the upcoming membership vote is likely to set off another round in the discussion.  With our professional identities on the line, I fondly hope we will look back one day and conclude the debate in the end produced an outcome that was more than worth what we invested in it.