The presentation outline the University of East London's approach to Information Strategy Development and Implementation. The goal of Information Strategy to establish Information management culture that is embedded in the attitudes, behaviours, processes and decision making.

1. UEL Approach to
Information Strategy
Development & Implementation
Information Strategy workshop @UEL in
association with JISC RSC London
31st July 2014
Andy Cook – Chief Information Officer
Gurdish Sandhu – Associate Director Information Strategy

2. Context
Understanding the external and internal Information Environment
External
• Rapidly evolving HE sector
• Changing data collection requirements of HESA, HEFCE etc.
• Performance measurement & Bench marking culture
Internal
• Increasing demand for access to quality information
• Utilising Information as a strategic asset to drive competitive
differentiation

3. UEL Information Strategy – SWOT analysis
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
• Expanding suite of Business Intelligence reports
• Very competent and loyal staff in certain areas (e.g.
IT systems & data)
• Good practice of evidence-based approach to some
aspects of planning and corporate strategy
• Pockets of excellence in information management
• External visibility & reputation in information
management
• Positive relationship with external stakeholders e.g.
JISC, HESA, UCISA etc.
• Too few staff with effective information
management skills
• Single point of failure across many business
processes
• Patchy understanding of our business processes
• Fragmented information culture
• Lack of understanding to exploit strategic use of
data
• Only few schools /services have strategies
• Too much operational focus and short-termism
• Willingness to make strategic use of data for
competitive differentiation & advantage
• To develop & implement innovative Information
Strategy from scratch
• Horizon scanning for all
• Development of talent, information
management skills
• Digital information archiving & digital
preservation
• Embedding evidence-based planning across the
university
• Exploit innovative technology
• Streamlining of information process
• Loss of some key staff
• Poor succession planning & knowledge
management
• Uncertainties related to organisational
change
• Funding constraints

4. UEL IS Vision
‘The aim of the strategy is to move the university to a position
where it understands how to use data as a strategic asset.’
To move toward a culture of informed, evidence based decision
making, to use the potential of modern technologies to derive business
intelligence to improve the student experience, better inform course
design, develop the curriculum offer, understand and develop the most
effective pedagogies, better informed research and streamline business
processes. The Information strategy seek to enable a more agile
organisation that is responsive and adaptable to its environment.

5. High quality, accurate,
reliable information
Integrated across
systems
Facilitate data sharing
& re-use
Single version of the truth
Easily accessible
Fit for purpose
Secure, reliable, resilient
Unambiguous
Ownership
Comply with changing
requirements
Guiding principles
Continuous Information
Management Skills
development

6. Aims & Objectives
 To ensure that the university’s processes comply with legislative requirements
and national & international standards.
 To protect information security & appropriate use of data
 To improve data quality, streamline business processes, improve data security
and more effectively derive business intelligence
 To improve the availability and exploitation of management information to
support effective decision making processes
 To utilise external data in the delivery of business intelligence to the university
 To equip and support staff with data analysis & data interpretation skills
 To use information to advance university’s research agenda

7. Annual review process to ensure continued alignment with External
agencies and UEL business requirements and strategic directions
Our Approach to IS development
Living, evolving Information Strategy rather than static document
Adoption of JISC Framework
Taking best practice into consideration
Risk based approach to Information Strategy
Learning from Industry - Gartner

8. Jisc : The Sequel - Strategy Process
Framework
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/uploaded_documents/
practiti.pdf
1. Getting Started
II Information Needs
III Planning the Implementation
IV Roles and Responsibilities
V Monitoring and Review

9. Information Governance

10. Information
Strategy Board
Strategic Use
of Data
(Competency
Centre Report
Designer, BI
developers, Dbase
Administrator,
adding value,
Information asset
administrators’
coaching &
training)
IS implementation
& monitoring
Information
Architecture
Systems, tools
and data flow
IAO = Information Asset Owner
IAM – Information Asset Manager
DS = Data Steward
IAO
IAM
DS
VCG Services Schools Research
IAO
IAM
DS
IAO
IAM
DS
IAO
IAM
DS

11. InformationGovernanceInformationDefinition
Information Quality Information Architecture Capability & Culture
Embedded
Information
Culture
Fragmented
Information
Culture
2014 2015 2016
Delivering Information Strategy (IS) @UEL
Information
Policy
Established
IS Board
Staffing
structure
The case
for IS
Developed
IS
Develop &
implement data
validation & data
cleansing plan
Defined
Information
Quality
standards
Monitoring
& review
Design &
develop
report
repository
Established
robust
Technical
Infrastructure
Annual
review
Information
Skills &
Training
Information Strategy 2014-2016

12. Thank You
A.Cook@uel.ac.uk
G.Sandhu@uel.ac.uk