Something that left me wondering from InfoCamp2010 this weekend… There seems to be a need to generate more awareness of the role of Information Managers (IMs), in the VALUE-CREATION process of Interactive Design and User Experience refinement.

This is a growing discipline, a group of curious minds intent on addressing concerns across enterprise function groups in quantifiable means.  Information Managers are the practitioners in the Human Computer Information Interaction domain that serve a role alongside Collection Archivists, Content Management Specialists, User Experience Designers, Software Developers and Interaction Professionals.

Our focus as IMs is on leveraging inter-disciplinary practices into a context-sensitive framework that generates Value from Information ASSETS.  We are trained on how to tease out the unexpressed NEEDS (from WANTS) of the USER to inform a VALUE SET upon which to develop a SOLUTION.  We then work to quantify the OPPORTUNITIES, and to NEGOTIATE development resources to instantiate a SOLUTION.

Basically, we get to make information FUN and SEXY!  ;P

Sometimes, we’re a little of analyst to gather reqs; other times we’re designers, helping out to settle the spec; we act like content managers to organize the details of the process; and, we then get into the messy business of an Instantiation.

IMs work hard to make your Information Needs more clear, and your development objectives more Focused.  But, as a Designer and Project Manager, be cautious yet Brave to include other groups’ systems analysts and project managers into your brainstorming sessions…  its always a risk that this individuals could block the CREATIVE process.  Yet, it’s essential we include systems SPECIALISTS early in the process.

For all your patience, in the end, they’ll help you not over-engineer your user scenarios.  In fact, you’ll probably have better intelligence to inform how to phase out your RELEASES.

I consolidated this list this past week, and thought it could be useful to those seeking jobs in Information Management roles.

The state of Washington classifies some of the work that we, as Information Management professionals, under the following job titles or roles.

Computer Systems Analysts Computer and Information Systems Manager Applications Developer Applications Systems Analyst Automatic Data Processing Planner Business Analyst Business Continuity Analyst Business Intelligence Systems Manager Business Systems Analyst Chief Information Officer Chief Technical Officer Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Clinical Analyst Clinical Applications Specialist Clinical Informatics Director Clinical Information Systems Director Computer Analyst Computer Analyst Supervisor Computer Architect Computer Consultant Computer Methods Analyst Computer Operations Manager Computer or Data Processing Systems Consultant Computer Programming Manager Computer Project Manager Computer Specialist Computer Systems Analyst Computer Systems Consultant Computer Systems Design Analyst Computer Systems Designer Computer Systems Director of Information Computing Services Director Cross-Enterprise Integrator Data Center Manager Data Processing Consultant Data Processing Manager Data Systems Manager Data Warehouse Architect Database Development and Administration Project Manager Director of Application Development Director of Data Operations Director of Information Technology Director of Network Director of Technology Enterprise Integration Manager Enterprise Resource Planner Financial Engineer Head of Computer Operations/Technical Services Head of Information Systems and Data Processing