A Value-Added View ofInformation Systems &Services – the LIS Connection
Dr. Mike Eisenberg
University of Washington
October 2007
© M. Eisenberg 2007

© M. Eisenberg 2007

© M. Eisenberg 2007

The User Perspective• Needs• Values© M. Eisenberg 2007

Values• Mathematics - the evaluation of avariable or function• Personal and cultural – that make-up
our system of beliefs, ideas, oropinions• Economics - the worth of commodities

From Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Values© M. Eisenberg 2007

Values• Psychology: Value theory - refers to the study ofthe way in which human beings develop, assert
and believe in certain values, and act or fail to act
on them.
• Sociology: Personal values which are popularly
held by a community; how values might change
under particular conditions.
• Economics: Value added refers to the additional
value created at a particular stage of production orthrough image and marketing.

From Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Values© M. Eisenberg 2007

Information Values© M. Eisenberg 2007

Information Systems••••••••••••© M. Eisenberg 2007

Information Values••••

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Information Processes That
Add Values••••••••••••© M. Eisenberg 2007

Class Agenda
1. Setting the Scene – An Information
Perspective
2. Information Systems
3. R.S. Taylor: The Value-Added
Model
4. Applying the Value-Added Model© M. Eisenberg 2007

Information
1. Used “sloppily”
2. Broad term for anything related tothe stuff or task of “informing”
3. Above “data” and below“knowledge”© M. Eisenberg 2007

Underlying the Value-Added
Perspective
1. Information is ubiquitous.
2. There is a hierarchy of information - the“information spectrum.”3. The purpose of an information system isto add value to better meet user needs.
4. We are constantly engaged in
information problem-solving:encountering, solving, and resolving
information problems.
© M. Eisenberg 2007

The Information Spectrum
ACTIONKNOWLEDGE
INFORMATION
DATA© M. Eisenberg 2007

Information Spectrum Example

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Information Spectrum Example

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Information Spectrum Example
SBUX
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Information Spectrum Example
SBUX - STARBUCKS CORP
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Buy or Sell?

© M. Eisenberg 2007

Trend Information© M. Eisenberg 2007

Information and Knowledge•[external] Scientists trying for coffee bean without the buzz - at CBS MarketWatch - 9:19pm

Wednesday September 8, 1999•[$$ - free trial] Japan's April-June GDP Up 0.2% vs. Prior Quarter; After-Hours Trading
Update - at TheStreet.com - 8:57 pm•[external] Timor can develop economic potential - at CBS MarketWatch - 5:05 pm•East Timor Could Turn to Prosperity - AP Business - 2:53 pm•From Homer Simpson's Diary to a Prisoner-Turned-Poet: Joe 2 Reveals the Inner Lives ofGreat Writers - Business Wire - 9:02 am

Wednesday September 1, 1999
•RESEARCH ALERT - EdwardJones starts Starbucks - Reuters Securities - 4:12 pm

Monday August 30, 1999
•OPTIONS - Starbucks volume builds, volumes firm - Reuters Securities - 4:53 pm

Friday August 27, 1999•[external] Starbucks Reports 8% Rise in August Same-Store Sales - at The Motley Fool 9:03 am……
© M. Eisenberg 2007

Information and Knowledge
News to Go

Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) announced that it will get into a newline of business by acquiring ear, nose, and throat surgical products maker Xomed Surgical
Products (Nasdaq: XOMD) for $800 million in stock, or $60 per share.
Toy retailer Toys "R" Us (NYSE: TOY) said CEO Robert Nakasone has decided to resign his
position due to "differing views regarding the direction of the company." Current chairman andformer CEO Michael Goldstein will step into Nakasone's shoes until a replacement is found.
Quicken and TurboTax developer Intuit (Nasdaq: INTU) reported a pro forma loss of $0.26 pershare for the fourth fiscal quarter, which beat the First Call mean estimate for a loss of $0.33 pershare in the period. Net revenues jumped 28% in the period to $150 million.
Coffee retailer Starbucks Corp. (Nasdaq: SBUX) posted an 8% increase in August same-store
sales compared to a year ago. Total sales during the month rose 25% to $135 million.
Interventional and implantable medical devices maker

BREAKFAST WITH THE FOOL
Friday, August 27, 1999
"Failure is success if we learn from it."-- Malcolm Forbes
Autodesk Earnings Broken Record
By Brian Graney (TMF© M. Panic)
Eisenberg 2007

ActionBuy or Sell?

© M. Eisenberg 2007

ActionBought !!

© M. Eisenberg 2007

Information Spectrum Example© M. Eisenberg 2007

ActionBuy or Sell?

© M. Eisenberg 2007

Information Spectrum Example© M. Eisenberg 2007

ActionSold !!

© M. Eisenberg 2007

Information Spectrum Example
SBUX - Starbucks
Aug 2, 2002
Last Sale

18.81

Time of Last Sale

4:00

NASDAQNet Change-0.03

Previous Close 18.84

High19.49

Low

Volume18.4784,202,545© M. Eisenberg 2007

Information Spectrum Example© M. Eisenberg 2007

The Information Spectrum
ACTIONKNOWLEDGE
INFORMATION
DATA© M. Eisenberg 2007

The Value-Added Approach
4R.S. Taylor

4

Value-Added Processes in Information
Systems

4Ablex, 1986

© M. Eisenberg 2007

You should beable to ===>
1.

Identify an information system

2.

Describe it from a systems (I-P-O) perspective

3.

Describe it from a user perspective

4.

State how it meets the values-added definitionof an information system

5.

Analyze the system in terms of:•user criteria•

related values added•

related value-added processes© M. Eisenberg 2007

Taylor: Essentially whatis being asked:(a) What do users want from information systems
that would enable them to perform better,
however “better performance” is defined in theircontext?

(b) Upon what basis do users make choices whenpresented with large amounts of potentiallyrelevant information?
(Taylor p. 55)© M. Eisenberg 2007

Information Systems• Storage• Search• Retrieval• Processing• Sharing• Communication• Accounting systems• Environmental monitoringsystems• Geographic informationsystems• Inventory control systems• Libraries• Blogs• Voice/data/imagetransmissions systems•••© M. Eisenberg 2007

Traditional Views
of Information SystemsUser Æ Interface Æ SystemInput Æ Processes Æ Output© M. Eisenberg 2007

User Views
of Information Systems• The user is the focal point of thesystem• The user is part of the information
system• There is constant feedback andinteraction of the system processes
and the user
© M. Eisenberg 2007

The Value-Added User View
of Information Systems• The purpose of an information
system is to meet the needs ofits users• The system does so by adding
value to information© M. Eisenberg 2007

The Value-Added Model• User - criteria of choice• Interface - values-added• System – value-added processes© M. Eisenberg 2007

Taylor’s Value-Added Model
USER CRITERIAOF CHOICEINTERFACE (Values Added)

SYSTEM (Value-added processes)

Ease of UseBrowsing

Alphabetizing

Formatting

Highlighting important terms

Interfacing I (Mediation)
Interfacing II (Orientation)
Ordering
Physical Accessibility
Noise Reduction

Access I (Item identification)

Indexing

Access II (Subject description)

Vocabulary control

Access III (Subject summary)

Filtering

Linkage
Precision
Selectivity

Taylor’s Value-Added Model
USER CRITERIAOF CHOICEINTERFACE (Values Added)

SYSTEM (Value-added processes)

QualityAccuracy

Quality control

Comprehensiveness

Editing

Currency

UpdatingReliability

Analyzing and comparing dataValidity
Adaptability

Closeness to problem

Provision of data manipulation
capabilities

Flexibility

Ranking output for relevance

Simplicity
Stimulatory
Time-Saving

Response Speed

Reduction of processing time

Cost-Saving

Cost-saving

Lower connect-time priceTaylor
User Criteria of Choice• Ease of Use• Adaptability• Noise Reduction• Time Saving• Quality• Cost Saving

Which is most important?
© M. Eisenberg 2007

SchamberRelevance• topical• understandable• useful• precise/specific• reliable• accessible• timely/current• aestheticallypleasing• accurate• comprehensive• interactive© M. Eisenberg 2007

Eisenberg
Info Seeking Strategies Criteria (K-12)• on the topic• easy to use• reliable/authoritative• available• accurate• current• precise• affordable• complete• fun© M. Eisenberg 2007

Information Values
TaylorEase of Use

SchamberEisenberg

Accessible

Easy to use

Understandable

Available

Noise Reduction

Precise/specific

PreciseQuality

Accurate

Accurate

Comprehensive

Complete

Reliable

Reliable/authoritative

Timely/currentCurrent

TopicalOn the topic (valid)

UsefulAdaptability

Interactive

Time Saving
Cost Saving

Affordable
Aesthetically pleasing

Fun© M. Eisenberg 2007

Exercise: Sample
Information Situations
1. Common information situations
2. In each, think about what is goingon in terms of information?
3. Consider each one carefully –4Criteria

4

Values Added

4

Value-added Processes© M. Eisenberg 2007

#1 – Cell Phones

#1 – Cell Phones

Value Added Analysis
User Criteria
Values Added
Ease of Use
Noise Reduction
Quality
Adaptability
Time Saving
Cost Saving
EntertainingProcesses© M. Eisenberg 2007

#1 - The Auto Dashboard© M. Eisenberg 2007

Value Added Analysis
User Criteria
Values Added
Ease of Use
Noise Reduction
Quality
Adaptability
Time Saving
Cost Saving
Entertaining

Processes© M. Eisenberg 2007

#2 - Online Education© M. Eisenberg 2007

Value Added Analysis
User Criteria
Values Added
Ease of Use
Noise Reduction
Quality
Adaptability
Time Saving
Cost Saving
Entertaining

Processes© M. Eisenberg 2007

#3 – Integrated Library System© M. Eisenberg 2007

© M. Eisenberg 2007

© M. Eisenberg 2007

UW

© M. Eisenberg 2007

© M. Eisenberg 2007

Value Added Analysis
User Criteria
Values Added
Ease of Use
Noise Reduction
Quality
Adaptability
Time Saving
Cost Saving
EntertainingProcesses© M. Eisenberg 2007

Value-Added andthe Nature of LIS• Information and ReferenceServices• Children’s Services• Resources and Collections• Education – Information
Literacy Instruction• Organization ofInformation• Management of Libraries
and Information Services• Information Policy –society, making adifference• Research in Library andInformation Science• Information Systems
Design, Development, andImplementation© M. Eisenberg 2007

Value-added and LIS• The purpose of an information
system is to meet the needs of itsusers.
• The purpose of a library is to meetthe information needs of its users?
• How can libraries add value toinformation in order to better meetthe needs of users?
© M. Eisenberg 2007

Summary
1. Remember, it’s an information-rich world!
2. Information scientists view the world froman information perspective – with peopleusing information at the center.
3. The information perspective includes• The ubiquity of information• The changing nature of information (attributes andbehaviors)• The Information spectrum• Information problem-solving• Adding value to meet users needs.
© M. Eisenberg 2007

Summary
The Value Added Model provides aframework for:• Analyzing user needs• Determining values to add that willmeet those needs• Applying system processes that add
the desired values.

© M. Eisenberg 2007

Want to • Help people?
• Improve society?
• Make money?
• Determine
4

User needs/criteria

4Values to add

4Processes to add value© M. Eisenberg 2007

Thanks forlistening!

© M. Eisenberg 2007