Information Management Needs Assessment

Think about your experience with E-mail. What are some of the problems you may have when you try to make sense of communicating online. (please check one of the boxes for each question and give your ideas in the text area boxes that follow - thanks!)

I could use help with the following.... (Select one of the three answers)

1. Keeping up with my E-mail, and dealing with it on a regular basis.

Please help - I can't keep up! I'm OK No problem - I'm a whiz!

2. Having a system for sorting and dealing with messages.

I'm lost! I get by. I've got a great system.

3. Deleting messages I don't need to keep.

How do you do that? When I get around to it. No big deal.

4. Maintaining folders that describe the contents appropriately.

What folders? I can do it. I've got an excellent system.

5. Knowing more about Internet and E-Mail in general.

I need to catch up - I'm way behind. I know enough. I'm an expert.

6. Easily finding messages I want to refer to.

No idea where they go. I can if I have to. It's a snap.

7. Cutting out unnecessary parts of messages in replies and forwarded messages.

What are you talking about? I've seen it done - can figure it out. Doesn't everyone do that?

8. Knowing where to get help with E-mail when I need it.

I'm not sure. My friends probably know. I ask the experts at the Help Desk.

9. Limiting myself to what I can handle in the time allowed to deal with my E-Mail.

I'm way behind. Pretty well caught up. I'm really good at time management.

10. Thinking about when to copy, print and/or save E-Mail messages.

How do you do that? I manage OK. I've got it all under control.

11. Never using my files as a dumping ground, knowing that 80% of all files I might never revisit.

It's a mess. I keep up fairly well. I clean out my files on a regular basis.

12. Having a simple, easy-to-use filing system for my messages.

I'm not sure how to do that. It's not bad. Super system - very easy.

13. Keeping a small sampling of messages on past subjects when reviewing files and deleting the rest.

Who's got time for that? I'll get around to it. This is a good way to do it.

14. Keeping my E-Mail address book up-to-date.

Where is the address book? I use it sometimes. Works fine for me.

15. Reading some articles about strategies to deal with information overload.

I could really use those. I'm somewhat interested. I'm always happy to learn new ideas.

16. Reading and replying to the important messages first and saving the less pressing ones for later.

I guess that would be helpful. I could do that. Makes a lot of sense.

17. Naming files consistently (e.g.: all start with lower case letters)

But that's a lot of work. Sure - why not? Great idea - makes sense.

18. Using a dated log to jot down information not worth saving but which could be referred to later.

A log? Are you kidding? If I remember. Good insurance in case I need it.

19. Setting reasonable deadlines for completing tasks, and sticking to them.

I wish I could. I'll try harder. I always like to get my work done ahead of time.

20. Knowing about information overload in distance education and the experience of other learners.

I could use some help. I can ask questions. I'm glad to help others.

Open questions

Are there other things to do with the internet and e-mail that you'd like to learn about? Please describe:

What do you like best about the internet and using e-mail so far? Please describe:

What I like best...