Information Breakthrough (Psi Successful Business Library) [Paperback]

Charles J. Bodenstab (Author)

Book Description

Series: Psi Successful Business Library | Publication Date: November 1, 1997

Do you ever feel bogged down by the seemingly endless stream of data you have to sift through to get business information? Getting more data at a faster rate will not solve your problems, but knowing how to search for information will. Information Breakthrough is about changing your mindset so you can look for and extract information pertinent to the unique characteristics of your business. The book will teach you to simplify the steps to developing a system to stay on top of your business' operations. The process is explained in non-technical terms that apply to any size or type of business. Written by a management and information technology expert, Information Breakthrough will show you how to develop and use indicators that are important to your business. The indicators are meant to keep your business operating in the most direct, efficient manner. You will learn that more data is not always better and that precision and accuracy can compete against obtaining useful information. The book will teach you how to:
* Adopt a philosophy that all reports should be focused on action.
* Learn that more is not always better.
* Recognize that despite the world's advancements in technology, the speed in which we receive information has not helped our ability to manage and use it.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

We live in a world overrun by seemingly endless amounts of data - not information. Information Breakthrough shows you how you can develop indicators that are important to your business and how to use them to your benefit and insight. Like gauges in an airplane cockpit, author Charles Bodenstab shows you how to use your business' indicators to keep your business at the right altitude and on the most direct, efficient route.

About the Author

Charles J. Bodenstab is an author, consultant, seminar leader, and Executive Vice President of Data Systems and Management Inc., in St. Paul, MN. His articles on management and information technology have appeared regularly in business and trade magazines like Inc. and Fortune.

Product Details

• Paperback: 130 pages
• Publisher: Bookworld Services (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555714137
• ISBN-13: 978-1555714130
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,337,103 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not too much, not too little, but JUST RIGHT, September 30, 2000

By 

P. J. Eby "The Reductionist Guru™" (Palm Beach County, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Information Breakthrough (Psi Successful Business Library) (Paperback)

Everything you ever wanted to know about management reporting but had no way to ask. The author presents clear, motivated examples of ways to do exactly what the title says: convert mountains of raw data into a few gems of useful information. He presents ways to process data to reveals trends, identify "unusual events", and to remove the effects of seasonalization from data. But more importantly, he presents approaches for formatting and organizing information so that it is clear and action-oriented. That is, so that instead of looking at a bunch of numbers and going, "Hmm", your reports are effectively "to-do" lists of things you can act on as a manager.

The book is brief, but in this case, more is less. Everything is explained with crystal clarity for both managers and IT folks. If you are designing any kind of management reporting system, either as its user or its software developer, you MUST READ THIS BOOK. Plus, it's short enough that you'll have enough time left over to read the (also short) book "One Page Management" to reinforce this book's points about exception reporting.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Back to basics, February 2, 2000

By 

Ann Glozmann Hansen (Copenhagen, Denmark) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Information Breakthrough (Psi Successful Business Library) (Paperback)

Generally speaking a great book if you are not familiar with management accounting and turning heaps of information into valuable reports for your top management group. No doubt about it: This book will provide the basic tools for keeping your boss happy, especially if you need a brush-up on moving averages, etc. Having vast experience with both advanced financial and non-financial analysis on various aspects of business (shipping and construction), this book was somewhat a let down in terms of ability to inspire and provide ways to improve personal skills to structure and present complex topics in an ordered and clear fashion. A nice bedtable-reader for the pre-MBA. MBAs should look elsewhere.

2.0 out of 5 stars Back to basics, February 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Information Breakthrough (Psi Successful Business Library) (Paperback)

Generally speaking a great book if you are not familiar with management accounting and turning heaps of information into valuable reports for your top management group. No doubt about it: This book will provide the basic tools for keeping your boss happy, especially if you need a brush-up on moving averages, etc. Having vast experience with both advanced financial and non-financial analysis on various aspects of business (shipping and construction), this book was somewhat a let down in terms of ability to inspire and provide ways to improve personal skills to structure and present complex topics in an ordered and clear fashion. A nice bedtable-reader for the pre-MBA. MBAs should look elsewhere.