Michael R. Middleton

Evaluation instrument for e-government websites

An instrument for evaluating the quality of government websites is described. It takes the form of a questionnaire resident within spreadsheet or database software so that an automatically determined evaluation may be indicated following input of data. The 106 questions included are derived from previous research regarding significant components of successful websites, along with interviews with developers of portals at different levels of Australian government. The instrument may be easily tailored to accommodate varying requirements at different levels of government, and used as a basis for extended internal evaluation of their own websites by agencies. The instrument also embodies explanations of the survey questions that are asked, along with advice on how to determine sought-after information from sites.

Skills expectations of library graduates

A survey was undertaken of graduates from various library courses at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane. The instrument was developed in consultation with schools offering similar courses nationally, so that it could subsequently be used for national comparison. The survey was structured to take account of knowledge, skills, and competencies explicated in Australian documents that provide competency guidance in library and information management areas. It was also designed to enable comparison with a previously published survey analysis. The survey identifies 189 skills grouped into nine categories: collection building and management; communication; facilities and equipment; information organisation; information services; information systems; management; marketing; and research. The response rate to the survey was low, but nevertheless provided a useful comparison between the expectations of graduates working in different sectors, for different time periods. Findings for respondents as a group show that each of the top five ranked skills were in the information services category, as were seven of the top ten ranked skills. There were marked differences between the rankings assigned by this group and those of a similar North American study. Tables showing the ranking of skills expectations are provided. Comments are made about curriculum developments that are influenced by these data.

Information Technology Education in Papua New Guinea: Cultural, Economic and Political Influences.

Information and Communication Technology is the driving force in the information intensive global so-ciety. Information Technology (IT) professionals with skills and capabilities required by the IT industry are scarce. Industry and policy makers see education institutions as the vehicle to produce skilled IT pro-fessionals to bridge the gap between the changing technology and industry needs. Many Least Devel-oped Countries including Papua New Guinea are slowly coming to grips with the rapidly changing IT industry and need for IT education and development. The lack of information policy guidelines in many instances hinders the growth of IT industry in many LDCs. Also there are issues and factors that influence IT education in developing countries especially Papua New Guinea. These include cultural and language impacts on IT education in PNG. Preliminary results from our recent study indicate that PNG IT professionals place a high emphasis on non-technical skills. In this paper we examine a number of social, cultural and industry factors that influence IT education, and postulate several principles that are useful in developing an IT education model suitable for LDCs.

Information policy and infrastructure in Australia

Abstract Development of information policy in Australia is reviewed from the introduction of planning documents in the 1980s through to recent progress. Emphasis is given to federal government and national initiatives and legislation. The reports of several committees of inquiry are considered, along with outcomes arising from them. It is concluded that many of the elements identified early in policy development are now being addressed, though integrated and compatible formulation of policy between different arms of government remains, problematical.

Australian Library & Information Studies (LIS) Researchers Ranking of LIS Journals.

The paper describes the processes and outcomes of the ranking of LIS journal titles by Australia’s LIS researchers during 2007–8, first through the Australian federal government’s Research Quality Framework (RQF) process, and then by its replacement, the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) initiative. The requirement to rank the journals’ titles used arose from discussions held at the RQF panel meeting held in February 2007 in Canberra, Australia. While it was recognised that the Web of Science’s (formerly ISI) journal impact approach of journal acceptance for measures of research quality and influence might not work for LIS, it was apparent that this model would be the default if no alternative appeared. Although LIS and discipline-related journals were increasingly appearing in the Web of Science listed rankings, representation remained small and it was decided by the Australian LIS research community to undertake the ranking exercise.

A framework for information management: Using case studies to test application

An analysis is undertaken of a disciplinary framework for information management suggested by Rowley in 1998 in order to consider its applicability to information services. The analysis uses several case studies that have been conducted on the development of scientific and technological information (STI) services. These services have all been involved in the creation of bibliographic and associated databases of Australian STI material. The analysis examines information management domains through the looking glass of the Rowley framework which has as its elements the information environment, information context, information systems, and information retrieval. It is concluded that while STI services exemplify information management in terms of the framework suggested, that the framework could be adapted to be of more benefit in expressing the disciplinary basis and its professional setting. This might be achieved by removal of the differentiation between environment and context, and by elaborating the information systems and information retrieval levels further into analytical and operational domains.

Strategic information planning and campus information systems development in Indonesia

University strategic planning for information systems and management was investigated for four Indonesian higher educational institutions. A combination of the case study approach and a survey of a small sample of academic staff who have used the systems, was undertaken. Staff perceptions of the service from information systems are described, and related to their perceptions of planning for these systems. A number of evaluations of specific information sources and delivery are given in detail. Policy document analysis showed little information systems planning as part of the university strategic planning. Some observations are made about the influence of strategic information system planning upon successful use of a university’s information systems.

Discipline formation in information management: case study of scientific and technological information services

Discipline formation in information management is investigated through a case study of the origi-nation and development of information services for scientific and technical information in Australia. Particular reference is made to a case of AESIS, a national geoscience, minerals and petroleum reference database coordinated by the Australian Mineral Foundation. This study pro-vided a model for consideration of similar services and their contribution to the discipline. The perspective adopted is to consider information management at operational, analytical and strate-gic levels. Political and financial influences are considered along with analysis of scope, perform-ance and quality control. Factors that influenced the creation, transitions, and abeyance of the service are examined, and some conclusions are drawn about an information management disci-pline being exemplified by such services.

Scientific and Technological Information Services in Australia: I. History and Development

An investigation of the development of Australian scientific and technological information (STI) services has been undertaken. It comprises a consideration of the characteristics and development of the services, which is the focus of this part of the paper, along with a broader examination of discipline formation in information management covered in Part II. This first part of the study provides a historical overview of the development of several of the services that were established in the 1970s. Specific reference is made to Australian Agriculture and Natural Resources Online (AANRO), the Australian Medical Index (AMI), Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Information (ANSTI), Australian Transport Index (ATRI), AusGeoref and its forerunner AESIS, and the Australian engineering database (ENGINE). The account includes a summary of the policy environment that influenced the development of databases that supported the original STI services. Some observations are made about STI publishing output from Australia, the way it is reported, and how appropriate reporting and documentation of that output might continue.

The Assessment of Software Quality from the User Perspective: Evaluation of a GIS Implementation

Software quality analysis was carried out using the characteristics of functionality, reliability, usability, efficiency, maintainability and portability and their associated sub-characteristics that are defined in the national software quality standard AS/NZS 4216: 1994 [ISO/IEC 9126: 1991]. The research indicates that the Standard criteria are oriented towards IT maintenance staff rather than end users. Further criteria such as those relating to flexibility should be included for effective end user evaluation.