Active informatization has led to the fact that many specialties have become quantitatively and qualitatively dependent on various kinds of information flows, including professional and opportunistic knowledge and data.
Significant impact of information is experiencing business today . Marketing, finance, economics, logistics, risk management, analytics, PR and other aspects of strategic and tactical business management intensively use knowledge and data for setting and implementing goals, for working out, making and executing decisions.
The performance of managers and specialists, and therefore the business as a whole, depends directly on the tools they use .

Consider such an important group as information management tools - what it is, why they are needed and why it is so important to pay attention to them.

What is an information management tool?

A tool is an object, device, mechanism, machine, or algorithm used to influence an object: its changes or measurements in order to achieve a beneficial effect [Great Soviet Encyclopedia].

The most important in the management of business acquired heterogeneous information. It has become so much that it is impossible to do without some special devices, programs, algorithms and methods for its collection, processing, analysis, storage and distribution. Such tools, the task of which is to achieve a useful effect when “influencing” information necessary for business management, can be grouped into a separate group of “information management tools” (hereinafter - tools ). Moreover, in this case, the term “management” should be understood in a broad sense: starting with the management accounting (data collection) and studying the external market environment - ending with monitoring the implementation of decisions made and making changes to the business process model.
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Tools for professionals involved in the process of managing a project or a company that primarily deal with a variety of data and information flows can be viewed from two perspectives.

Firstly , the tool is a certain method of working with information that is necessary or accompanying business management procedures. Depending on the importance and complexity of such procedures, depending on the quality and quantity of such information, the necessary methods of criteria-based selection of sources, collection, filtering, storage, processing, formatting, structuring, classification, complex analysis, visualization and dissemination of information are developed and applied. Formalized methods of influencing information in the framework of the specific work performed by a specialist are lined up in a certain technology for performing tasks related to obtaining and using management information. Usually, a tool's technique is expressed through rules, technologies, instructions, practices, models, formulas, experience, or similar things.

Secondly , the increase in the amount of information that is important and demanded by the business for successful development, makes it necessary to implement the most valuable and time-consuming methods in the form of programs for computer technology. Moreover, such programs are constantly expanding both in quantity and in functionality. Special productive programs greatly facilitate the work of a number of specialists. And it is not by chance that for some of them you have to pay substantial money.

The real embodiment of the tool is, overwhelmingly, a software product. But, while focusing on the “code”, the very methodological basis that is laid in it is forgotten. Moreover, not every tool implemented in the form of a program offered on the market, quite clearly shows and formalizes the methodology that is used in it. It is not correct. The specialist must know and understand what tool he gets when purchasing a software product in order to be able to use it correctly and not try to solve those tasks that are simply impossible to solve with its help.

Why do you need an information management tool?

Today the market is replete with a variety of attractive and aggressive offers of tools that provide and organize the work of both individual specialists and the team as a whole. But if it were all so easy, as advertising campaigns tell us, there probably wouldn't be such a number of marketers and managers involved in “selling” similar products.

Then why spend financial resources on the purchase of an unnecessary program, why spend valuable time on its introduction to business practice, why form a tense situation in a team if the basic problems cannot be solved.
Is it because these problems arise that behind any program there is a certain methodology (regulations, knowledge, technology)? Any program is just a practical, productive implementation of an information management tool . So, for the effective use of such a software product, it is necessary not only to acquire (develop) and implement it, but also to train specialists to work with it. And the more complex the tool , the more time and cost it will take to train or even search for professionals who not only will be “in the pipeline” perform automated accounting and reporting procedures, but will be able to extract useful knowledge and experience for business, will be able to prepare and accept balanced and adequate decisions. To master some of the tools generally require a special long preparation.

Without tools, modern business can not do. How not to do without the collection, processing and analysis of heterogeneous information, in size increasingly tending to the "big data". Therefore, we have to look for, acquire or develop and transfer to the business staff a variety of tools for working with information to use in order to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of their regular and project functions.
Information management tools are needed to reduce costs and increase productivity, to eliminate errors and simplify procedures, to competently work with specialized data and streamline the accumulated knowledge and competencies of the business.

Do you know the most versatile information management tool?

Every office worker, as well as every user of a personal computer, knows the most universal tool . It allows you to solve absolutely any problem of information processing and its presentation. At the same time, the structure of the processed information is practically unimportant and it is permissible to use any method for influencing information. In one embodiment or another, such a universal tool is on every computer and actively penetrates every mobile device.
It can be called a streamlined - “office” software package, and you can specify the names of specific applications from such a package (I do not want to give preference to any of them and indicate the names of brands).
In general, it is functional: the editor of documents and spreadsheets.
With the help of the document editor, the user can do anything with textual and partially with graphical information, and with the help of spreadsheets you can completely freely manage with digital data (and with formatted text too).
Strictly speaking, office suite programs are so universal that they are used everywhere and not only for the purposes of business management. Therefore, the commonly used universal information tools have found the widest application. But you must admit that they occupied a special place in the business processes of the overwhelming number of small, medium and large companies.
In which program can you quickly make an order, a report, and a memorandum in any format? - In the document editor.
And which program can quickly make a new data table and calculate totals or averages? - In spreadsheets.

Of course there are more advanced options for individual professionals: desktop databases, schematic and diagram editors, vector editors, template editors, layout programs ...
On the one hand, a universal tool is convenient: for different purposes a single product. But the more specific and complex business management tasks become, the more complex and productive tools are required.

Therefore, no matter how much the manager likes the minimal cost of an office suite, sooner or later you have to think about additional specialized tools . Traditionally, the first is the accounting system. It is sometimes the reason for solving the issue of integrated automation of a certain range of business processes.

How does a manager make a decision?

Important is the decision-making procedure for the acquisition of a tool that provides automation of a specific area of ​​business processes.
A well-considered and weighted approach is characteristic when choosing complex systems, which includes a formed package of tools - a complete set of everything necessary, so to speak. They are expensive and allow you to solve management problems at a high level. For their implementation, it is necessary to rebuild business processes, update the IT infrastructure, train staff, and involve external consultants to solve complex issues.
Another thing is simple, important, but specific software products. It seems that for their purchase and implementation it is enough to select a product by several simple criteria, pay for it, install it on workstations and instruct specialists to “apply in work”. Not infrequently, decisions about the purchase of such systems are made in a hurry at active marketing events (exhibitions, conferences).

How it ends is known to many of those who were forced to use an inconvenient, weakly customizable, containing many "bugs" system that solves problems of a narrow focus.
Much can depend on how competently a manager makes a decision on the use of an information management tool. Incorrect behavior can not only make employees nervous, but also partially destroy established formal or informal business processes. Certain preparation is necessary not only when introducing complex automated systems, but also when introducing specialized discrete software products.

Do you need preparatory work?

The introduction of a “tiny” software tool that facilitates the work of a specialist involved in the business management circuit may require the same or maybe more work as the introduction of a large automated enterprise level system.
Imposing a tool is a separate issue. Even if the manager or IT specialist responsible for purchasing software products really liked a product or an Internet service. But after all, he should understand that, most likely, the business already in one degree or another implements the processes that correspond to the logic of such a product (service). Employees are already using some tools and have formed certain habits and traditions, methodology and skills for solving sought-after tasks. One should not think that nothing is being done, and the experts are sullenly sitting without “useful and convenient” programs. If the worker performs some work independently and is not given the necessary tool, then he either does nothing (which is unlikely because he would be fired immediately), or he will use techniques and devices known only to him. Without knowing anything about how a specialist performs his tasks, it is impossible to offer him an adequate and convenient tool for him. Unless just by chance. Therefore, many are very skeptical when new programs and rules for working in a computer network are placed on top of them.
Before buying an instrument on the side, you should carefully ask what is happening in a real business, and not in the idea of ​​such a business. Perhaps workers are already using some tools , and they are perhaps even better than those they want to offer them.

Therefore, preparation for the use of a new tool begins long before its purchase and it begins with the formulation of requirements for a software product, that is, with the study of business processes and the business objects involved in them. And when it is completely clear that the existing execution of processes is not convenient for the result or efficiency of business management and is inconvenient for executors, then there is a reason to consider several alternative software products, not forgetting that each such product implements a specific methodology and specific rules.

Is it warm under a “patch of quilt”?

The problem associated with the introduction of new process automation systems is not new. This applies to the entire spectrum of automated systems: from accounting, to technological and production.
However, such “special level of fragmentation” products, mostly programmed using cloud technologies, web services, browser interfaces and similar “remote” technologies, are becoming more and more intrusive. , « » , , , , - . « 30- » .

So, such fragmentation presents tools that solve extremely narrow questions and problems, concentrating on well-known traditional and typical business process schemes. Having collected several tools you can get quite a colorful "patchwork".

Patchwork automation is a separate big topic with its compatibility issues and conflicts in both practical and theoretical terms. But one thing is when a company independently develops a single integrated system according to the same rules. And another thing is when a company acquires various tools in terms of format and functionality , which, moreover, may contradict each other in their methodological basis. Monitor tool compatibilityDifferent suppliers are too expensive and difficult. Even if they all work on the basis of generally accepted standards.
Do not get involved in new tools , if they are not very well embedded in an existing system. And to understand whether the tool is new, how effective it is and how it fits into the existing configuration of business processes and existing IT infrastructure, you need to go back to the previous question and make sure once again that preparatory work is extremely important when acquiring any, even simple and cheap , information management tool.

Who are the stars?

The choice of the tool should involve both subject specialists who will use it and IT specialists who will accompany it. The decision word must depend on real arguments based on the evaluation of the characteristics of the information management tool. But it may turn out that one characteristic will make it absolutely impossible for a tool to be used by business. For example, elementary incompatibility with the base operating system or contradiction of existing business processes. But it may turn out that a decision will be made to refine the IT infrastructure and business processes, because the company will decide that the tool , . , , , - .
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A new specialist with an old tool or a new tool with an old specialist?

Interestingly, the relevance when considering the issue of information management tools is an understanding of the problems of personnel management. The tools themselves are not able to do anything. They are used by experts and much or even everything depends on how they are used. In this regard, there are several observations:

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And what is the conclusion?

Information technologies for economics and business management are important and effective with the condition that they are competently and responsibly used. Effective "IT-things" are expensive and not so much in acquisition, as in mastering and in possession. A business can easily buy a software licensed product, but with the same ease will arise difficult questions of professional application, mastering and applying the knowledge accompanying the product, working out the experience of everyday use of the product without errors and emergencies, improving the product to its competitive advantages.
Sadly, but in the process of mastering the tool, a licensed program or information technology, a significant role should be played by top and mid-level business managers, as well as profile specialists. Information technology should be as interested as possible and targeted business structures. To shift all the responsibilities and all the responsibility for the selection of information management tools and their effective use to the information technology service specialists is incorrect.

The tool that business is going to use to implement specific business processes should:

1. implement an acceptable and relevant methodology;
2. formalize targeted business processes clearly and clearly;
3. fit into the general model of business processes and business objects of the company;
4. be combined with other available tools;
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