We talk constantly about data access in information management. People need access to data. Systems should provide access. Access, access, access.
But here's what we don't talk about enough: the actual user experience of getting to that data.
My background in web development gave me a lens that many information professionals don't have. In web development, everything is about the user journey. How long does it take someone to find something? How many steps stand between where they start their search and where their need is fulfilled? What obstacles get in the way?
These aren't just web development questions—they're fundamental information management questions.
Think about how we measure success in information management. We track compliance rates. We count records processed. We measure storage costs.
But do we track how many clicks it takes to get to the information someone needs? Do we measure how long it takes from starting a search to finding a useful result? Do we ask whether the search result actually addressed the search need?
This is a longstanding question in the records and information management profession: how do you quantify the labor that goes into search? It's time we started taking it seriously.
In web development, there's a concept called code bloat—unnecessary redundancy that slows down processing time and makes pages load more slowly. Good developers work to eliminate it.
The same principle applies to records and information management. Addressing redundant, outdated, and trivial records isn't just about compliance or storage costs. It's about reducing the "bloat" that makes it harder for users to find what they actually need.
When you eliminate what doesn't matter, you make room for what does.
Whether you're building a website or designing an information system, the process is remarkably similar:
Design: How will this be organized? What terms will people use to search? What's the logical structure?
Implementation: How do we build this in a way that's usable? Is the interface intuitive? Is the file structure organized behind the scenes?
Good information user experience means:
Intuitive search: Users can find what they need using the terms that make sense to them, not just the technical terminology we prefer
Clear pathways: The journey from question to answer is direct, with minimal unnecessary steps
Organized structure: Behind the scenes, information is categorized and connected in ways that make sense
Accessible interfaces: Systems are designed for actual humans to use, not just for compliance checkboxes
Providing access to data is table stakes. It's the minimum requirement. But if people can't actually use that access effectively—if they're frustrated, if searches take too long, if they give up before finding what they need—then what have we really accomplished?
The future of information management isn't just about making data accessible. It's about making the experience of accessing that data actually good.
It's about delivering information to people when they need it and possibly even before they ask for it.
If you want to improve information user experience in your organization, start asking different questions:
How long does it typically take someone to find a specific document?
What do users love about our systems? Where do those systems fall short?
How many searches end without a useful result?
What obstacles consistently get in the way of people finding information?
These aren't just nice-to-know metrics. They're fundamental indicators of whether your information management program is actually serving its purpose.
Because at the end of the day, information that's technically accessible but practically unusable might as well not exist at all.
This blog post is based on an original AIIM OnAir podcast. When recording podcasts, AIIM uses AI-enabled transcription in Zoom. We then use that transcription as part of a prompt with Claude Pro, Anthropic’s AI assistant. AIIM staff (aka humans) then edit the output from Claude for accuracy, completeness, and tone. In this way, we use AI to increase the accessibility of our podcast and extend the value of great content.