What are your information management (IM) responsibilities?

Every day, we create, collect, use and share information resources that provide evidence of our respective business activities. These valued and strategic information resources help us to make evidence-based decisions that support the delivery of our business activities. Effective accountability and stewardship of information is a responsibility that everyone must take seriously particularly if you work for an responsible and transparent organization. Equally importantly, not keeping your information in order costs time and money. Conventional wisdom suggests on average we spend between 1.5 and 3 hours a week looking for a document or the correct version of the document.

On a daily basis people should look to:

• Document business activities and decisions

• Organize, file, and store information resources

• Share and reuse information resources to support collaboration and facilitate business operations

• Protect sensitive information

• Be informed of and apply retention periods for information resources

• Comply with the requirements of policies on privacy

• Protect and preserve information of business value

• Delete transitory/momentary information

To aid in information management (IM) there are systems and processes that efficiently deal with the types of information one generates. This includes information creation, collection, dissemination, sharing, utilization, destruction and storage of information in all formats. Formats include structured data, held in databases, to unstructured data such as documents, email messages, Web content and other published materials.

Information is easy to create and delete so managing it effectively gives it purpose and context and it comes with personal responsibility. Everyone within an organization should be familiar with required IM responsibilities and practices. The key to good IM practices starts with the understanding that information of business value (IBV) in all formats must be saved and transitory information must be eliminated once it has served its purpose.

Tips for better information management

• Store all information in a manner that preserves its form and status, keeping its structure, context, and content intact

• Use a corporate repository to collect, use, and manage information resources of IBV

• Avoid unmanageable accumulations of information by regularly scheduling a clean-up of your email mailboxes; drives; Web content etc.

• File current or frequently referenced information in a way that permits efficient and authorized access

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