BSBINM401A Implement workplace information system

Before you begin
Contents
Before you begin
What you will learn
What is expected of a Certificate IV learner
Assessment
Employability skills
How to work through this unit
Resources
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Introduction: Implement workplace information system 1
Chapter 1: Identifying and sourcing information needs 3
1.1 Determining and locating information 4
1.2 Acquiring and reviewing the organisation’s information 15
Discussion topics 25
Chapter summary 25
Checklist for Chapter 1 25
Assessment activity 1: Identifying and sourcing information needs 26
Record your employability skills 26
Chapter 2: Collecting, analysing and reporting information 27
2.1 Collecting information on time 28
2.2 Ensuring information is in a suitable format 30
2.3 Identifying and reporting on trends and developments 39
Discussion topics 41
Chapter summary 42
Checklist for Chapter 2 42
Assessment activity 2: Collecting, analysing and reporting information 43
Record your employability skills 46
Chapter 3: Implementing information systems 47
3.1 Implementing effective management information systems 48
3.2 Using technology effectively 51
3.3 Recommending improvements to the information system 55
Discussion topics 58
Chapter summary 58
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BSBINM401A Implement workplace information system
Checklist for Chapter 3 58
Assessment activity 3: Implementing information systems 59
Record your employability skills 60
Chapter 4: Preparing for information system changes 61
4.1 Collecting information about future needs 62
4.2 Ensuring estimates reflect the business plans and customer requirements 66
4.3 Presenting appropriate submissions 69
4.4 Preparing team members to work with changes to information systems 74
Discussion topics 77
Chapter summary 77
Checklist for Chapter 4 78
Assessment activity 4: Preparing for information system changes 79
Record your employability skills 79
Final assessment: BSBINM401A Implement workplace 81
information system
Employability skills 83
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Chapter 1: Identifying and sourcing information needs
Chapter 1
Identifying and sourcing information
needs
Managers must understand the type of information needed by their team that will help
them to carry out tasks to meet team objectives and organisational goals.
Once the necessary information is identified, the manager needs to help team members
find and access the information. Team members may need to be guided in analysing
the information for accuracy and reliability, and assisted as they process and apply the
information, to ensure it addresses the team’s needs.
Managers need to undertake this process independently as they identify, locate, analyse
and apply information to perform their duties and responsibilities in their role as
manager.
Identifying and sourcing information is the first step involved in implementing a
workplace information system.
In this chapter you will learn about:
1.1 Determining and locating information
1.2 Acquiring and reviewing the organisation’s information
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BSBINM401A Implement workplace information system
1.1 Determining and locating information
Information needs to be used and managed in different ways. As a manager, it is
important that you use and circulate information appropriately, and that you guide your
staff to do the same. For example, some information simply needs to be read by the
appropriate people and then filed; other data needs to be further analysed and shared
with others; some information needs to be continually referred to.
Before you can do this, you need to be familiar with the range of information used
by the organisation. The following table identifies different types of information and
highlights characteristics that suggest the information’s intended purpose. As you read
the list think of other examples in addition to those given.
Example
Type of
information
Characteristics
Examples
Static Cannot be changed Tax file number, ABN, ACN
Dynamic
Easily manipulated, updated or
changed
Sales reports, employee contact
details database, marketing data
Recurring Created at regular intervals Operational plan, productivity
report, annual report, financial
data, continuous improvement and
quality assurance data
One-off
Action needed
No action
required
Internal
External
Created once for a unique event
or need
Requires staff to take some
immediate action
Informs staff but requires no action
Information sourced within and
generated by the organisation
Information sourced and generated
by a group or individual external
to the organisation
Project budget, organisation
announcement
Safety alert, security
announcement
New staff announcement, release
of interim results
Product announcement,
departmental budget
New OHS legislation, industry
news, stationery price list
Active Used frequently User manual, procedural
documents
Inactive Used infrequently Archived historical sales data,
industry profile
Formal
Informal
Recorded for use as a reference or
communication tool
Usually obtained through
observation or verbal discussions
Emails, memos, reports, files
Conversations, observations of
competitor or industry activity
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Chapter 1: Identifying and sourcing information needs
Tips
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Make sure you and your team members are familiar where frequently used data is stored on
your company’s server or intranet site. Ask your IT support staff to provide you with a map
of what information is available and where it is located.
Ensure your team members are aware of protocols for saving information they create onto
servers or how to upload information to an intranet site. If this process is undertaken by
individual staff within your organisation, make sure you and your team fully understand the
process, the file formats needed and the request processes in place.
When you set up your own filing system, electronic or paper-based, take time to think about
how the information should be categorised – by subject, issue, creator or date There are
many ways to set up filing systems – remember that the most important issue is being able
to find the information you need quickly and simply. If your files are going to be accessed
by a wide range of people, create a guide or reference system for them.
If you are aware of ‘who knows what’ within your organisation, consider writing it down for
your team members and other staff. Sometimes an individual’s title or department is not a
clear indication of what they know or what they do on a day-to-day basis. This list could be
a particularly valuable tool for new employees.
When new documents are created by your team members, how do they name their files Do
you find that files are created that can’t be found by others Consider establishing guidelines
that help your team name and store files, especially if files are shared or used by more than
one person. You could use a date-based system, where files are labelled by date and code
relating to the content of the file and logged in a central location where all team members
note down what they have created that day. You could also use longer file names that more
fully reflect the content of the document. A common system within your team saves time.
Remember to save revisions of documents correctly. Return information you take from a
paper-based filing system to its correct place.
Following organisational policies
Ensure that information is collected in line with organisational policies and procedures
or accepted actions.
Your organisation’s standard operating procedures or other relevant guidelines need to
be consulted to determine how to best access information held within the organisation.
For example, your organisation may have a policy where sales and other financial data is
restricted to certain people within the organisation, or particular operational plans are
not shared with anyone other than directors or senior management.
If your organisation does not have operating procedures or policies regarding the
availability of information or you are not sure what protocols exist, your first step is to
consult with your own manager about appropriate procedures.
Although you may have to follow organisation policies and procedures in order to access
some information, many organisations now recognise the value of shared information
and have developed systems that manage and facilitate information flow. Intranet sites,
databases located on central servers and files that can be searched and accessed by wide
groups of employees are effective ways to share and promote easy access to all sorts of
information.
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Chapter 2: Collecting, analysing and reporting information
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grouping, categorising or sorting information so that trends can be identified or key
information can be quickly accessed
bringing data together so it is in a similar format or standardised in some way
making notes on or summarising information that you have already reviewed in a
longer format
using computer software (such as word processing, audiovisual presentation,
spreadsheet, database or desktop design packages) to present data in appropriate
and compatible ways
following organisation-wide or team‐specific guidelines regarding the way
information should be presented (such as a style guide or document templates)
asking for advice from your manager as to how information should be presented.
For example, after conducting an interview, you may need to record your handwritten
notes in a logical format so that other team members can review the information and
use it. The information should be typed so others can read it easily.
Practice task 9
1. What are some of the things you and your team do that help you, or others, to understand
information you’ve gathered
2. How do these activities help you to analyse and interpret the information
Preparing information for dissemination
Once information has been prepared for analysis and interpretation, it might need
to be disseminated for others to review and provide feedback or act on in some way.
Alternatively, you may need to prepare a final report and disseminate it to appropriate
personnel. Whatever the situation, here are some ways to help you do this efficiently.
• Locate the addresses, either postal or email, to which information can be sent.
• Determine the best way information should be disseminated depending on the
audience and the type of information that needs to be sent out.
• Ensure that confidential or sensitive information is disseminated in an appropriate
manner.
• Make sure that the intended audience can access the information.
• Follow guidelines, restrictions or policies your team or organisation has in place
regarding how information should be shared.
• Make use of any address lists that have been created within your organisation, as
appropriate.
• Get approval, if necessary, to post information on intranet sites or electronic bulletin
boards or on physical notice boards.
Be aware of diverse audiences
When communicating information, you need to consider that the people receiving the
information will have different literacy skills. Literacy does not simply refer to a person’s
reading level or familiarity with English. It also refers to financial, mathematical and
technological literacy. Also, physical disability may mean that staff are unable to analyse
information presented in certain ways.
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BSBINM401A Implement workplace information system
For example, people with hearing impairments may not be able to participate in team
discussions or listen to verbal announcements. Others may have a disability that inhibits
their ability to process information, or some may simply have a reduced reading ability
or understanding of mathematics that means they can struggle to make sense of data.
Modes of sharing information
Information can be disseminated in informal or formal ways. You need to consider
who the recipients of the information will be and how they should receive data before
deciding on an appropriate presentation. Following are some common methods of
information sharing.
Written information
Circulating written information, such as reports, memos or bulletins, has become
less popular since the advent of email; however, in many workplaces it is still the
most effective way to share information with staff. Posting brief announcements or
bulletins on noticeboards, writing a letter or short report to staff and dropping copies
into pigeonholes or circulating one copy using a circulation slip (such as the following
example) are common and effective ways of sharing written information.
Example
FOR CIRCULATION
Name Date received Date passed on
Fatima Abdullah
Josh Brady
Maria Brunos
Carla Mathison
Tony McWilliams
Troy Nguyen
Mikki Santini
Anna Stranovski
Sheryl Tanner
Carlos Vasquez
To speed up the circulation of the attached,
please:
Read, review or photocopy the attached documents
ASAP
Pass on to the next listed person
OR in that person’s absence, the next one
Please return to
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Chapter 2: Collecting, analysing and reporting information
Assessment activity 2
Collecting, analysing and reporting information
The following table maps the assessment activity for this chapter against the element and
performance criteria of Element 2 in BSBINM401A Implement workplace information
system.The activity has been designed for all learners to complete.
Part Element Performance criteria
Whole activity 2 All
Think about how you gather, analyse and disseminate information now, and how you
might do this more effectively in future.
Use the following headings to develop an information management plan. Use bullet
points and numbers for your responses. You might like to prepare a table similar to the
one on the following pages.
1. Ensuring information collection is timely
2. Checking that information meets your needs
3. Bringing different information together
4. Analysing information
5. Disseminating information
6. Identifying and reporting trends and developments in the information
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Employability skills
Employability skills
In the table below, describe the activities you have undertaken that demonstrate how
you developed the following employability skills as you worked through this unit. Keep
copies of material you have prepared as further evidence of your skills.
Alternatively, prepare a table similar to the following table.
Employability skills
Communication
The activities undertaken to
develop the employability skill
Teamwork
Planning and
organising
Initiative and
enterprise
Problem-solving
Self-management
Technology
Learning
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