Timeliness of InformationInformation can be defined as having 'quality' when it meets or exceeds the expectations of the knowledge worker or process that is using that information. We often focus on the 'structural' quality of information - is it complete (no missing values), is it consistent (is Mr Smith's gender Female?), is accurate etc.
However timeliness of information is also a factor. Different information consumers may have different expectations as to how 'old' information can be before it's quality is diminished to the point where it is no longer suitable. - Police need to know where the suspect is hiding before he moves on in order to make an arrest
- Doctors need to know that a patient is allergic to a drug before they administer it
- Money needs to be in your bank account before you can spend it
In other circumstances the requirement for timeliness might be less. This was brought to mind by a news story today on Yahoo (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/30032007/140/400-000-uk-workers-paid.html). The payment processing system that handles electronic funds transfers in the UK is slowing down. This means that some people aren't getting paid when they should. Which means that direct debits for everything from phone bills to mortgages may not get paid. What processes in your organisation are time-dependent? What might the impacts be if you provide your information too late for it to be acted on?
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