informaatiotiede

Informaatiotiede, or information science, is an interdisciplinary field that studies how information is produced, organized, stored, retrieved, disseminated and used. It treats information as a resource and examines the people, systems and contexts involved in information work. Core concerns include information systems design, information retrieval and search, metadata and standards, information architecture, data curation and information behavior.

The field draws on computer science, library and information science, cognitive science, linguistics, sociology and management. It encompasses subfields such as information retrieval and search engine design, knowledge management and knowledge representation, metadata interoperability, human-information interaction and user experience, information literacy, bibliometrics and scientometrics, and digital preservation.

Historically, informaatiotiede has roots in library science and information retrieval research, with influences from theories of information processing and communication. The rise of digital libraries, the World Wide Web and database technologies expanded the focus to include information systems, data management and analysis, and the broader social and organizational contexts of information use.

In academia and industry, informaatiotiede informs the design and evaluation of information systems, search tools, digital archives, repositories, health informatics, e-government and enterprise information management. It also engages with ethical and social issues such as privacy, information accessibility, misinformation and data governance.

In Finland, the term informaatiotiede is used to denote Information Science programs that prepare students for research and practice in information behavior, system design and knowledge management, often bridging library science and computer-related disciplines.