Information Overload and
Information Poverty
Do they impair healthcare services
managers’ effectiveness?
Jackie MacDonald, triDistrict Manager Library and Knowledge Management Services
Annapolis Valley Health, South Shore Health, South West Health
Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield
Peter Bath, Senior Lecturer in Health Informatics and Director, Centre for Health Information
Management
Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield,
Andrew Booth,
Director of Information Resources and Reader in Evidence Based Information Practice,
School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) University of Sheffield
Contents
•Brief overview – the study and literature
•Information quantity frameworks (too much
or too little)
•Information quantity as a reason for
Satisficing (making decisions with “just
enough” but not ALL the information wanted)
The Literature Review
• Most LIS studies are of scholars – faculty
and students
• There are few studies of managers in
general
• Very few studies of healthcare managers’
information behaviour – I found only 3
© The University of Sheffield
4/13/2015
Study overview
• Qualitative, exploratory interview study
• Multiple case study
• Critical incident technique plus general questions
• Data analysis: transcribed interviews indexed and
compared using NATCEN ‘Framework’
• Participants
• 17 healthcare services VPs, directors, managers and other
leaders; 2 health board members
• post secondary education: 19; graduate degrees: 11;
undergraduate degrees: 4; registered health professionals:
12
• Mean participant age: 51years
• Mean healthcare career length: 21 years
4/13/2015
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Satisficing
• “I probably didn't access all the resources that I
could have accessed simply because of the
timeframe … I would say … not 100% satisfied
…I think I did an ok job.” (Manager)
• There is also a time sensitivity to this so the
other maxim is a decision on time is better than
the right answer too late … (Senior Executive).
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4/13/2015
The effect of information load on decision time and accuracy
(Iastrebova, 2006)
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4/13/2015
Information Poverty
• Chatman, 1995:
6 propositions
Information Overload
• Iastrebova, 2006:
7 part definition
• Britz, 2007:
6 variables
Common issue:
Information infrastructure gap
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4/13/2015
Information Poverty:
3/6 Chatman’s 1996 Propositions Supported
 1. The needed information did not exist
…we get almost no information … (Senior Executive)
... I can never get the level of detail I need. (Other Leader)
 2. If it did exist, it would be hard to get
I ask for [data] … and they always forget to send it to me.
(Other Leader)
They keep a lot of information - to get it from them may not be
that easy ... (Manager)
 6. New information was introduced as needed
I don't spend a lot of time looking for information if … it is not
going to change any decision that I make. (Senior
Executive).
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Information Poverty:
4/6 Britz’ 2007 Variables Supported
 1. The information needed would not be available; if
available was not always credible
Trying to find something that is specific … to the situation ...is
very difficult ... (Director)
I don't always feel that our data is reliable and valid ... (Other
Leader)
 2 & 6: Lack information infrastructure and materiel means
We don't have a good reporting framework for the indicators
... (Senior Executive)
 3. Linked to literacy, particularly information literacy
… my level of computer skill … is the biggest barrier (Manager)
We don’t have ... much information and are not 100% sure of
what it means. (Director)
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4/13/2015
Information Overload:
3/7 Iastrebova’s 2006 Definitions Supported
 5. Time needed to process the information exceeds
available time
… because of time restraints we do limit information that
we gather, and we limit the possibilities in terms of
decisions that we make… (Manager)
 6. More information is received than wanted or needed
to function effectively
Can I get through those thirty papers? Oh my ... I
can't do that ... (Director)
 7. Information processing requirements exceed available
mechanisms
I can't possibly keep track of all of it (Director)
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4/13/2015
Conclusions
• Information poverty and information overload are both
likely factors in participants’ decision to satisfice
• They need and look for internal information to help set
context when solving problems and making decisions but
are challenged by an inadequate information
management infrastructure – a variable common to both
concepts
For further study
• Do they experience both overload and poverty in single
decision situations?
• Is expert information sharing a coping strategy in both
situations?
© The University of Sheffield
4/13/2015
Thank you.
Questions?