An evaluation of InfoMapper™ software at Trainload Coal

A number of methodologies exist for managing information as an asset. Horton's information entity modelling technique, entitled Information Resource Mapping, is amongst the best known. He also developed a software, InfoMapper™, which is based on the principles of the information mapping methodology. Hitherto, no publications have appeared describing the application of InfoMapper™ in a commercial organisation. This paper describes experiments to test the software and the underlying methodology to assess their applicability in commercial environments. Trainload Coal, part of the British Railways Board business, Trainload Freight, agreed to co‐operate in this test to evaluate the software. The paper concludes that the software is too slow, and too US biased for general applicability. The usefulness and relevance of InfoMapper™ are limited. However, the underlying ideas were ones which Trainload Coal felt they could adopt. It is apparent then, that information resource methodologies do have potential. However, before a software such as InfoMapper™ can be used extensively, users must test it in a wide range of environments to assess its usefulness and suitability, and some of the problems with the software must be eliminated.