Managing the risks from information — through semantic information management

Abstract

Information is central to the way organisations work -and with the increasing quantity which organisations must manage, the risks from failure to optimally manage information become ever more significant. The typical organisation uses a wide range of heterogeneous information sources, with differing schemata. This means that information cannot easily be gathered for reporting purposes, and significant connections may be undetected. Moreover, it has been estimated that only 20% of corporate information is in 'official' database systems. The remaining 80% is unstructured text, i.e. e-mails, intranet pages, documents, spreadsheets and even transcripts of conversations. This creates risks. Unstructured, informal information is often associated with individuals and when individuals leave, although the information may remain, practical access can be lost. Knowledge management tools are needed to prevent this. More dramatically, when faced with litigation or regulatory requests, companies need effective eDiscovery so as to provide, and be seen to be providing, all the relevant documentation. An important tool in integrating heterogeneous information, and in coping with unstructured information is semantic information management. This paper describes the semantic approach to information management and how it can reduce the risks posed by information. It also describes a research project SEKT, led by BT, which is extending the capability of this semantic approach. IntroductionAll organisations are managed through information. This must have been true from the earliest times and the earliest civilisations. Modern organisations are characterised by the availability of massive volumes of information, made possible by electronic technology. This apparent advantage brings with it increased risks.Most obviously, the organisation that does not capture, analyse and disseminate information as effectively as its competitors, will suffer the consequences. The ability to find and share information rapidly and effectively is a clear commercial advantage in all sectors.So, too, is the ability to retain information. Maintaining the corporate memory bank as employees leave the company is an oft-discussed problem -and one seen as increasingly important given the demographic profile in the western world as the post-war generation of 'babyboomers' contemplates retirement.To these commercial risks have been added regulatory ones. Organisations which do not disclose all relevant information to regulatory authorities may be seriously penalised. Yet the organisation can only disclose information it knows it has. Information lost on corporate computers can not be disclosed at the appropriate time -but will certainly be revealed if the organisation is subject to a detailed forensic analysis of hard drives prior to a legal hearing.The last few decades have seen the increasing development and implementation of corporate applications centred on the relational database. Information about customers, products, employees and even competitors is stored i...

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