Effective information management ensures that your organisation’s data is organised, secure, and accessible when needed. Without a solid information management program, inefficiencies can arise, regulatory requirements may go unmet, and opportunities for data-driven decision-making could be missed. By establishing robust frameworks and engaging stakeholders, your information management system can serve as the backbone of your organisation’s operations, driving business success.
Fundamentals of an Information Management Program
So, you have just been given responsibility for your organisations information and records management program, where should you start? Managing information assets can feel complex and overwhelming if you’re a new practitioner. However, by focusing on a few key pillars, you can establish strong information management practices that ensure your data is well-governed and effectively supports your business objectives.
Key Pillars of an Information Management Program
1. Governance
To enable effective governance of information assets, you need to be able to clearly articulate the guiding principles, requirements, and responsibilities for creating, capturing, and managing information and records. This may be done in the form of information governance framework or policy instruments.
When writing your framework / policy, consider;
- Principles for creation, capture and management of accurate and authentic records that provide evidence of, and enable, the work your organisation does.
- Alignment of language and goals to broader organisational frameworks, policies, and planning instruments.
- Your business requirements for information management (e.g., expectations around where information is stored, how it is handled, who has access to it, etc.).
- Any statutory obligations for creating and managing information.
- Information management responsibilities for different stakeholder groups (e.g., all staff, senior leadership, IT, information managers, system owners, etc.).
- Relationship to related policy instruments (e.g., Privacy Policy, Cyber Security Policy, Risk Management Policy, etc.).
- What is realistic and achievable given available resourcing.
Your data governance instruments should be supported by relevant procedures and guidance to enable staff to meet their responsibilities.
2. Controlling Information
Information controls can take many different forms (e.g., metadata schema, business classification schemes, disposal authorities, etc.). If you’re just getting started, an Information Asset Register (IAR) may be the most beneficial tool to help you gain oversight of your organisations information assets and their associated risk profiles. IAR typically capture;
- Name and description of the information asset
- Storage location (i.e., system or physical storage location)
- Custodians and owners
- Asset format and status (i.e., active, semi-active, legacy)
- Information about business context (i.e., related business functions and activities)
- Security and risk information
- Retention requirements
An IAR is a live document that must be updated over time to ensure it accurately reflects your organisations information assets. An up-to-date IAR allows you to identify key information management risks and strategic priorities, informing your overall information management strategy.
3. Engagement
While having information governance and control tools in place is important, people are the key to any information management program. Without the buy-in of information users and decision makers, you will have difficulty in ensuring information assets are governed effectively.
To get effective engagement you need to;
- Communicate: You need to regularly engage with your information users formally (e.g., through training and formal communications) and informally (e.g., through general troubleshooting and informal check-ins). This will allow you to communicate the value and importance of information management and gather information about any blockers or challenges users are facing.
- Advocate: Engagement with decision makers is key to ensure that you can advocate for information management issues, and gain buy-in from leadership. Advocacy may look like:
- Setting up an information governance committee with key stakeholders and decision makers (e.g., IT, senior leaders, privacy manager, owners of core information assets, etc.) to discuss and set direction for information management activities.
- Providing regular briefing reports to senior leadership on information management matters, including risks and issues.
- Writing business cases seeking funding of information management projects.
- Setting up an information governance committee with key stakeholders and decision makers (e.g., IT, senior leaders, privacy manager, owners of core information assets, etc.) to discuss and set direction for information management activities.
Why Strong Information Management Matters
Implementing a strong information management program safeguards your organisation’s data, promotes efficiency, and ensures compliance with legal obligations. By governing your information assets effectively, you reduce risks, streamline operations, and unlock the potential for data-driven insights. In today’s highly regulated and competitive environment, having a reliable information management system is crucial to your organisation’s success.
How we can help
At Recordkeeping Innovation, we bring extensive experience in helping organisations implement and optimise their information management programs. With decades of expertise in the field, we’ve supported businesses of all sizes across various sectors to streamline processes, ensure compliance, and unlock the value of their information assets.
We specialise in conducting Information Management Strategic Reviews, assessing your current systems, designing future-state strategies, and developing customised action plans tailored to your specific needs. Whether you’re aiming to drive growth, improve efficiencies, or align workflows with your strategic objectives, we’ve got the expertise to help you succeed.
But don’t just take our word for it—explore our case studies to see how we’ve helped organisations like the Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation, the Independent Planning Commission and Wenona School Sydney overcome their information management challenges.
If you’re ready to take control of your information management and solve your organisation’s challenges, get in touch today. Let’s work together to build a solution that supports your goals and positions your business for long-term success.