Enterprise information evolution analysis system

• US 7,752,070 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2002
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAS Institute Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SAS Institute Incorporated
• Inventors: Prentice, William Michael, Hatcher, Donald Andrew, Russell, Robert Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Boswell; Beth V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATS, JUSTIN
• Application Number:
  US10/310,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20040093244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,771 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/11
• US Class Current: 705/7.38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data

Abstract

A system and method are provided which analyze information management within enterprises and organizations from a perspective of evolutionary levels, or phases. Once an organization has been determined where it lies within the evolutionary levels, action items are used to transition proactively along the evolutionary path. The action items are selected so as to ease transition from one level or phase to the next.

Claims

1. A system for determining and assisting in an evolution of an organization to higher levels of information utilization maturity, comprising:

at least one computing device; and

an analysis system that performs the following operations;

defining five levels of increasing information utilization maturity within the organization, beginning with level 1, an operate level, which represents the lowest level of information utilization maturity, followed by a progression to level 2, a consolidate level, level 3, an integrate level, level 4, an optimize level, and finally, level 5, an innovate level, which represents the highest level of information utilization maturity;

collecting a first set of data regarding information distribution and utilization within the organization;

performing a first impact analysis on the organization based upon the first set of data, wherein the first impact analysis comprises;

examining the first set of data with respect to the use of information and the evolutionary process in terms of impact on four constituency dimensions of the organization, wherein the four constituency dimensions comprise people, process, culture, and infrastructure; and

assessing the level to which the organization belongs by comparing the first set of data to a first set of level determination criteria;

determining that an organization is at an operate level of information utilization maturity based on the first impact analysis;

identifying one or more action items corresponding to one or more of the four constituency dimensions of the organization demonstrating lower than a consolidate level of information utilization maturity, wherein the one or more action items identify how the organization will progress the one or more constituency dimensions, and therefore the organization as a whole, to the consolidate level of information utilization maturity,

wherein action items in the progression to the consolidate level comprise at least one of the following;

(1) developing enterprise and departmental business information requirements, metrics and incentives;

(2) basing decisions on fact-based analysis, looking for managers who are analytical, and formalizing a Subject Matter Expert (SME) information analysis role;

(3) sponsoring and managing information projects that support departmental objectives and that can later contribute to an enterprise information environment; and

(4) developing an information infrastructure (platform, tools, procedures) to support departmental efforts, looking to the future; and

performing a first risk/benefit analysis on the organization that determines a time period for implementing each of the one or more action items identifying how to progress to the consolidate level;

wherein the system assists the organization in using the results of the first impact analysis, the one or more action items identifying how to progress to the consolidate level, and the first risk/benefit analysis to progress the organization to the consolidate level;

collecting a second set of data regarding information distribution and utilization within the organization;

performing a second impact analysis on the organization based upon the second set of data, wherein the second impact analysis comprises;

examining the second set of data with respect to the use of information and the evolutionary process in terms of impact on the four constituency dimensions of the organization; and

assessing the level to which the organization belongs by comparing the second set of data to a second set of level determination criteria;

determining that an organization is at a consolidate level of information utilization maturity based on the second impact analysis;

identifying one or more action items corresponding to one or more of the four constituency dimensions of the organization demonstrating lower than an integrate level of information utilization maturity, wherein the one or more action items identify how the organization will progress the one or more constituency dimensions, and therefore the organization as a whole, to the integrate level of information utilization maturity,

wherein action items in the progression to the integrate level comprise at least one of the following;

(1) defining enterprise-wide business measures and then running the business by them;

(2) formalizing efforts to align existing business intelligence efforts to enterprise goals, and to ensure alignment of future efforts;

(3) defining an enterprise-wide strategy and framework for integrated information management;

(4) creating incentives for employees to achieve cross-functional results; and

(5) establishing a governance infrastructure to sustain an integrated information environment;

and

performing a second risk/benefit analysis on the organization that determines a time period for implementing each of the one or more action items identifying how to progress to the integrate level;

wherein the system assists the organization in using the results of the second impact analysis, the one or more action items identifying how to progress to the integrate level, and the second risk/benefit analysis to progress the-organization to the integrate level;

collecting a third set of data regarding information distribution and utilization within the organization;

performing a third impact analysis on the organization based upon the third set of data, wherein the third impact analysis comprises;

examining the third set of data with respect to the use of information and the evolutionary process in terms of impact on the four constituency dimensions of the organization; and

assessing the level to which the organization belongs by comparing the third set of data to a third set of level determination criteria;

determining that an organization is at a integrate level of information utilization maturity based on the third impact analysis;

identifying one or more action items corresponding to one or more of the four constituency dimensions of the organization demonstrating lower than an optimize level of information utilization maturity, wherein the one or more action items identify how the organization will progress the one or more constituency dimensions, and therefore the organization as a whole, to the optimize level of information utilization maturity,

wherein action items in the progression to the optimize level comprise at least one of the following;

(1) viewing a business model as an extended model, including suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders in the view;

(2) building an ability and culture required to capture tacit (experiential) knowledge as well as explicit quantitative information;

(3) establishing critical enterprise level metrics for all key processes, and running business by them; and

(4) providing incentives for cooperation, collaboration, and incremental improvement;

and

performing a third risk/benefit analysis on the organization that determines a time period for implementing each of the one or more action items identifying how to progress to the optimize level;

wherein the system assists the organization in using the results of the third impact analysis, the one or more action items identifying how to progress to the optimize level, and the third risk/benefit analysis to progress the-organization to the optimize level;

collecting a fourth set of data regarding information distribution and utilization within the organization;

performing a fourth impact analysis on the organization based upon the fourth set of data, wherein the fourth impact analysis comprises;

examining the fourth set of data with respect to the use of information and the evolutionary process in terms of impact on the four constituency dimensions of the organization; and

assessing the level to which the organization belongs by comparing the fourth set of data to a fourth set of level determination criteria;

determining that an organization is at an optimize level of information utilization maturity based on the fourth impact analysis;

identifying one or more action items corresponding to one or more of the four constituency dimensions of the organization demonstrating lower than an innovate level of information utilization maturity, wherein the one or more action items identify how the organization will progress the one or more constituency dimensions, and therefore the organization as a whole, to the innovate level of information utilization maturity,

wherein action items in the progression to the innovate level comprise at least one of the following;

(1) proactively facilitating and managing the creative process of innovation;

(2) valuing intellectual capital as highly as tangible assets;

(3) developing and implementing a risk management mentality and infrastructure around your intangible assets; and

(4) implementing the ability to scan a variety of information and derive recommendations that direct the company to new opportunities;

and

performing a fourth risk/benefit analysis on the organization that determines a time period for implementing each of the one or more action items identifying how to progress to the innovate level;

wherein the system assists the organization in using the results of the fourth impact analysis, the one or more action items identifying how to progress to the innovate level, and the fourth risk/benefit analysis to progress the organization to the innovate level;

wherein each of the sets of level determination criteria are based upon what entity controls information assets within the organization and how the information assets are distributed across the departments of the organization, wherein the organization is assessed as belonging to a particular level only when all constituency dimensions of the organization at least meet the level determination criteria corresponding to that particular level; and

wherein the system assists the organization in improving the distribution and utilization of the information assets across the organization.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein transitions between levels provides greater strategic value with respect to the information assets of the organization.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the organization is a company.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the organization is an enterprise.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the organization is directed to digital delivery of entertainment and news to customers through an internet network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the organization is directed to interactive web content delivery or streaming video delivery to customers through an internet network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each transition between levels represents an increase in information maturity for the organization.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each level includes corresponding capabilities, and wherein the progression through the levels causes the organization capabilities to build cumulatively from each level to the next.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the optimize level includes an alignment of products and services of the organization with market considerations before the processes of the organization are optimized.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each identification of the one or more action items facilitates the progression between levels.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the combination of the five generated levels comprises an information evolutionary model that is used to analyze a plurality of organizations, and provide a ranking of the organizations with respect to information evolutionary maturity.