Managing Information

Managing Information

Certificate in Management

Contents

Pages

Introduction 3

Examples of Good Information 4 - 5

Examples of Poor Data 6 - 7

Suggested Improvements 8 Ð'- 9

Conclusion 10

Appendix 11

Introduction

In today's modern landscape we are constantly being presented with information to digest, especially within the work place. The growth of email and the internet have led to a change in the way we the we communicate with each other making information more accessible and faster.

With information Ð''on demand' we need to assess the use of the information, what it is really telling us and how we ourselves present information.

The media often presents information to make a political point distorting the way the information is presented, such as using a graph that's does not have an axis that starts at 0 making the information to be more dramatic then it is. In the work place documents that have been used for years can become obsolete as people accept the format of the way they receive the information and don't look to change it to make it work for them.

In this report we will attempt to examine a range of information that has been presented in a useful manner and why, as well as examples of poor presentation and how it could be improved.

Good Examples

Transport for London's London Travel Report 2005

The data example I have chosen to represent Ð''good information' is an extract from Transport for London's London Travel Report 2005 and is shown in Appendix One.

Essentially, the information on these two A4 page provides a summary of cycling statistics in London.

I believe that this is a good example of data for the following reasons:

Ð'* The pages can be photocopied without losing data;

Ð'* I believe the information is well laid out;

Ð'* The language is clear with no jargon. There are a couple of abbreviations in the data but these are explained clearly in a Glossary within the main document;

Ð'* There appears to be sufficient detail to get the message to the reader;

Ð'* The source of the data presented is clearly identified together with a contact telephone number;

Ð'* There are percentages, where suitable, to allow easy comparison;

Ð'* There is a good level of useful comparison;

Ð'* The balance of graphs, numbers and text appear to be sensible and easily digestible when the whole document is taken into context. On its own the two pages could benefit from a little more text to explain the background.

Pan Contracts Team Ð'- Looked after children placements made by London Boroughs: within London, One County from London and nationally in December 2005

Appendix 2

The example of good data is the pie chart, which provides information on where London Boroughs are placing their looked-after children. The pie chart is split into 3 sections for Placements made within London, one county from London and nationally. The pie chart is an example of good data because it contains a clear heading which informs the reader of what data is being provided, and includes a source as who has provided the data and a date when the data was collected.

The pie chart makes use of 3 distinct coloured wedges which, when photocopied, are easily distinguishable and relate clearly to the legend provided. Each wedge has a percentage value and label attached to it, which provide the ratios for comparison.

Vehicle Survey Data

Appendix 3

The data used is part of a vehicle survey undertaken for a traffic calming proposal in 1974.

The data attached, titled part 1, shows the different vehicle counts in both directions for a section of a normal day.

My reasons for presenting this as a good example of data are as follows:

Ð'* The table is clearly laid out and is easily understood

Ð'* There is no interpretation required

Ð'* The data provided is sufficient without too much information being provided.

Ð'* The data can be easily copied or scanned, without loosing clarity

Ð'* The data can easily be set up into two or more comparable graphs

Ð'* The data is not distorted or misleading

Ð'* The data can be used to calculate percentages for different types of vehicles or hours of the day

Older People, Decent Homes and Fuel Poverty Ð'- An analysis based on the English House Conditions Survey

Table 9 Homes failing Thermal Comfort Standards

Appendix 4

The purpose of this publication is to provide an update on thermal comfort and the related effects on older persons. The audience of this publication would be local government officers and relevant charities, although it would be available to members of the public.

The graph chosen (see appendix) is a good example of clear information that is easy to understand. The Y axis of the graph starts at 0 therefore is not misleading or biased. The yellow and black colours make it easy to distinguish between the columns, and are clearer when photocopied. The graph is easy to read as it is clearly labelled. By using 3 years of data is easy to compare data and use the graph