MITRE's Information Sleuths: Let the Experts Do the Digging

(Left to right) Information Services' Phyllis Jones, Terri Beale, and Dave Shumaker focus on getting MITRE employees the information they need.

If Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple had worked at MITRE, they might have been part of the Information Services team.

When Omaha Site Leader Dave Poutre briefs new employees on their first day at work, he starts with what you'd expect: this is your badge, here's your timecard, and the restrooms are over there. Then he gets serious, because the most important part of his orientation is about the support provided by the Information Services team. "I consider Information Services an incredible technical resource," he says. "They're a true force multiplier. They have a lot of resources, a lot of databases, and are skilled at quickly and efficiently finding what I need. They know where to go for the right information and how to package it quickly. Tremendous time-savers? You bet!"

Ruth Carver, manager of legislative analysis, agrees. In fact, she uses Information Services support several times each week. "I get some unusual requests for information. If I can't find it readily, I call Information Services and they rarely fail me. Recently I needed to know the source of a quote, and the InfoDesk got the answer from a librarian at the University of California. The reach they have, and the network they use, can be pretty amazing."

And Dan Cottrell, operations research analyst, is pleased that Information Services can add critical business and technical details to a project, making it easier for him and his team to meet customer needs. "Recently our customer wanted information on Chinese satellite systems," he says. "Although we have a lot of the technical information and knowledge, we needed that business/market analysis to provide the whole picture. Information Services provided us with the business perspective, including research and market analysis. It was what we needed to add a business sense to what we're doing. It's the kind of information that's not easily found on the Internet. We don't have to dig and dig for this stuff. And that saves a lot of valuable time."

Fast and Efficient

The Information Services organization, MITRE's cadre of top-notch information analysts and librarians can provide in-depth research, obtain documents, and help employees navigate an ocean of digital resources: MITRE's intranet (the MII), the Web, and specialized electronic publications critical to MITRE's technical and sponsor interests (see sidebar for partial list). The organization includes three primary teams: digital asset management, which negotiates contracts and licenses for digital resources; knowledge management services, which include information analysts often affiliated with centers; and InfoCenter Services, which includes the InfoDesk.

Some information analysts are experts in specific technology areas and focus on the research needs of particular centers at MITRE. Others are outstanding researchers and information experts who know how to skillfully navigate the Web and other information sources. These staff members manage the InfoDesk, which provides research support by phone or email. "Employees call with all kinds of requests," says Diana McDonald, Information Services supervisor. "Some take just a few minutes to research, while others take hours or days. We're prepared to handle it all."

"These folks are professional researchers and experts in the services and resources MITRE subscribes to," adds David Lehman, senior vice president of the Center for Information and Technology. "They're experts in sorting through the immense amount of information out there. We all know how to do a search and get enough information to reach from floor to ceiling. The Information Services team is skilled in doing focused research, so employees get the information they need and not just page after page of useless material."

Many employees, such as Lester Chin, an information systems engineer, consider Information Services a valuable partner when pulling together information to support a sponsor. "We were researching a system modification for a sponsor, and it required collecting background material, including pricing information," says Chin, who frequently relies on research provided by Information Services to get objective information on products being considered by his sponsor.

MITRE managers not only consider Information Services an important research partner, but also a means to attract new employees. "I consider Information Services a great recruiting tool," says Omaha's Dave Poutre. "It's a capability that I talk up when I'm recruiting people. I ask them 'Do you have the time or do you want to spend the time doing research?' I brag about the good support structure we have here. In fact, Information Services is so good at getting the information we need that I'd be miffed if one of my tech staff was spending days on end looking for something on the Web. That's wasting resources."

That kind of support is all in a day's work for the Information Services team. "Our professional skills as librarians and information management experts are complementary to the expertise of our technical staff," explains David Shumaker, Information Services department head. "We have a broad knowledge of the information needs of our employees, and we can contribute to their work."

—by Nadine Monaco

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