Corporate Information Management Core Concepts & Best PracticesAnne Karete Hvidsten, MLIS

What is information management (IM)?Although various definitions of IM exist, IM is essentially about capturing, organizing, disseminating, preserving/archiving, and discarding the information in an organization.An effective IM strategy- Ensures that the right information is provided at the right time and to the right person- Enhances organizational performance and productivity- Drives innovation- Supports decision making- Ensures adherence to legal requirements and protects the information assets

IM skills and competencies

Corporate informationCorporate information can, at the broadest, be divided into structured and unstructured information, of which unstructured information is most prevalent and diverse.

Although “paperless” has become an ideal for many organizations, paper-based information is still prevalent and forms an important part of corporate information.

Information systemsStructured and unstructured information is traditionally processed and managed in two different systems (ECM and ERP). However, most business processes involve both types of information. Large corporations would therefore benefit from integrated information systems where ECM and ERP are connected.

Records management• Follow ARMA’s Generally Accepted

Recordkeeping Principles• Conduct a records inventory• Conduct a records appraisal to determine

the records’ value (historical, administrative, legal, or fiscal)

• Develop a records classification scheme• Create a legally defensible enterprise-

wide records retention schedule• Determine a defensible disposition

method for each record series

Information risk management

• Identify the organization’s high-risk and high-value information

• Identify information risks and threats, and develop risk mitigation strategies

• Train staff to handle high-risk and high-value information securely

• Implement various software that protects the information regardless of its location and access device

Data governance• Good data governance ensures

enterprise-wide availability of reliable data, forming the basis for quality analysis and informed decision making.

• Assess the current state of the organization’s data. Are there data silos?

• Ensure consistency by developing standards for the collection, input, storage, and use of data.

• Make the individual business units responsible for the data they generate and use, not the IT department

Legal compliance• Legal requirements are one of the key

drivers in corporate IM.• Conduct legal research to find out

which laws and regulations apply to the organization. Legal assistance might be needed

• Make sure the organization is prepared for e-discovery by having an up-to-date and legally defensible retention and disposition schedule and a policy for email management

4. DiscardInformation is disposed of in a secure manner when

it no longer holds any value to the organization

3. Preserve & archive

The information remains current and secure;

inactive information is archived

1. CaptureInformation is collected, created, or captured by different sources and in

different formats

2. Organize & disseminate

Information is organized and disseminated in accordance with the

organization’s structure and security measures

ReferencesARMA International. (2007). Records and Information Management: Core competencies [PDF]. Downloaded from

http://www.arma.org/r1/professional-development/education/competenciesGidley, S. & Rausch, N. (2013). Best practices in enterprise data governance [PDF]. Retrieved from

http://support.sas.com/resources/papers/proceedings13/084-2013.pdfIron Mountain. (2014) Records and information management: Best practices. Retrieved from http://www.ironmountain.com

Smallwood, R. (2014). Information governance: Concepts, strategies and best practices (Wiley CIO series). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Structured information Unstructured informationSourced from databases Text files (e.g. Word documents, PDF files)

Spreadsheets (e.g. Excel) Audio filesFlat files (CSV) Video files

Presentations (e.g. PowerPoint slides)EmailsImages and graphicsText messages (SMS) and Instant Messaging (online chats)Web content (e.g. blogs, wikis, online articles)XML filesSocial media (e.g. Twitter messages or Facebook comments)

Competency Domain Examples1. Business Functions Staff supervision, strategic planning, and

budgeting2. Records and Information (RIM) Practices Develop RIM practices and conduct information

life cycle management3. Risk Management Assess risk, manage disaster recovery, and

implement preventive measures4. Communications and Marketing Communicate ideas and thoughts successfully,

and establish good business relationships5. Information Technology (IT) Implement, maintain, and use IT hardware and

software6. Leadership Motivate and engage staff, and ensure that RIM

goals are met