Information management

What is information management?

Information management describes the means by which an organisation efficiently plans, collects, creates, organises, uses, controls, disseminates and disposes of its information, both structured records and unstructured information; and through which it ensures that the value of that information is identified and exploited to the fullest extent, both in support of its internal operations and in adding value to its service delivery functions.

Why is it important?

Information is now recognised as one of the most important assets of any organisation. In public sector organisations, a large proportion of the administrative budget is typically spent on information handling activities of one kind or another. Information is needed at all levels of government to support business functions and assist in the achievement of business aims and objectives, and it serves as evidence of the way government operates and the transactions it carries out.

Key factors for success

All members of staff have ready access to all the information they need to do their jobs, at all levels in the organisation

Information assets are fully exploited, through information sharing within the organisation and with other public sector bodies, and through commercial arrangements with the private sector where appropriate

The quality of the organisation's information is maintained, and the information used in the business is accurate, reliable, up-to-date, complete and consistent

Legal and other requirements for maintaining the privacy, security, confidentiality, authenticity and integrity of information are observed

Information is made available conveniently to the public through a variety of channels

The public record and other essential information holdings are preserved

The organisation achieves a high level of efficiency and economy in its information-handling activities.

Who is involved in information management?

Three main roles are involved:

• the owner of the information, who is responsible for a specific item of information and accountable for its accuracy, availability and security

• the custodian of the information, who is responsible for maintaining the underpinning IT and service delivery facilities

• the user (within and outside the organisation), whose access and use of the information are specified by the owner and enforced by the custodian where appropriate.

Management is responsible for the governance of information as a corporate asset.

These requirements apply to all the information assets of the organisation. This briefing focuses on information that is available in electronic form (including images, maps, sound and video - anything that can be digitised) but most of the principles apply also to paper records.

Principles

The role of information in Modernising Government

Most of the Modernising Government programme and the Information Age Government initiative depends on public sector organisations taking a fresh approach to the management and exploitation of their information assets. For example:

• electronic service delivery to the public and to businesses requires the public sector to rethink its approach to information handling, and to disseminate and collect information in innovative ways - through third-party delivery channels, through government portals, and through new media such as kiosks and digital TV

• the requirements of joined-up government, and the development of cross-cutting programmes, call for much wider sharing of information within the public sector - such as through the facilities of the Government Secure Intranet

• the shift to evidence-based policy-making and better research, and the emphasis on managing organisational performance and improving risk management, will place new demands on the ability to exploit relevant and reliable information sources, and on facilities for data processing and modeling

• the requirement to become more forward- and outward-looking will lead to much greater use of the resources of the GSI and the Internet by those involved in management, planning, communications and policy work; public sector users will need to learn how to exploit the vast information resources of the Internet to the benefit of public sector business.

Outcomes from effective management of information

Information is a key resource of the organisation, together with people, finances and material assets. Information is a business issue. Through effective management of the organisation's information resources and information systems, corporate managers can:

• add value to the services delivered to customers

• reduce risks in the business

• reduce the costs of business processes and service delivery

• stimulate innovation in internal business processes and external service delivery.

Information categories

The information owned by the organisation, and external information to which it has access, comes in a variety of forms with common use of digital formats for storage and communication.

Structured data

Data held in databases is typically used to support operational activities and business transactions. Databases hold structured records containing details about the subjects of interest to the business, such as individual customers, financial holdings, companies, buildings and other resources inside and outside the organisation.

Unstructured data

These may include images, photographs, maps, videos and sound recordings. In the public sector, many of these documents in paper format are held in Registry files and will form part of the public record. The Public Record Office has issued guidance on the management of electronic records in government, and all departments are required to achieve electronic records management by 2004.( www.pro.gov.uk/recordsmanagement/eros/default.htm)

Library and reference information

Increasingly, libraries now provide access to a variety of digital information sources including external library catalogues, commercial databases, on-line information retrieval services and Internet services.

Web-based information

Nearly every public sector organisation now operates a web site for the dissemination of information and, in many cases, for establishing two-way communication with the public. ( e-government: a strategic framework for public services in the Information Age)

Scope of information management

Four areas of management are included within the scope of information management:

• management of information resources. All the information resources discussed earlier need to be managed. The governance of information in the organisation must ensure that all these resources are known and that responsibilities have been assigned for their management

• management of information technology. The management of the IT which underpins the organisation's information systems is typically the responsibility of the 'supply-side' function, managed within the organisation or delivered through an external service provider. The management of the organisation must be able to operate as an 'Informed Customer' for the IT-based products and services it needs and acquires

• management of information processes. All business processes will give rise to operations involving one or other of the information resources of the organisation. The processes of creating, collecting, accessing, modifying, storing, deleting and archiving information must be properly controlled if the organisation is to exercise satisfactory governance of its information resources

• management of information standards and policies. The organisation will need to define standards and policies for its information management. These will typically be developed as an element of its IS strategy. Management policies will govern the procedures and responsibilities for information management in the organisation; technical policies and standards will apply to the IT infrastructure which supports the organisation's information systems.

Knowledge management

Knowledge management is a key aspect of information management. Essentially, it is about making information usable, so that some form of action can be taken on the basis of that knowledge. Knowledge management comprises:

• intellectual capital (knowledge assets held by the organisation, including the expert knowledge of individuals)

• computer-supported collaborative work (ways of facilitating exchange of knowledge amongst working groups)

• employee empowerment (ways of enabling individuals to benefit from the organisation's collective knowledge).

Processes

The first requirement in a programme of information management is for the organisation to become fully aware of its information needs and assets, by conducting an information audit. Each department in central government is creating its own Information Asset Register (IAR), which it will maintain on its own website. HMSO will maintain the Inforoute gateway to the government's IAR, which will be an amalgamation of the IARs being created by each department. (See also guidance on requirements management (PDF).

The organisation will need to consider the information requirements across all its business units and functions. It is recommended that a life-cycle approach is adopted to consideration of the use of information in business processes. The organisation should review:

• what information is currently held, and how it can be classified?

• what information needs to be collected or created by the business processes

• how the information will be stored and maintained

• how the information will be accessed, by whom and in what ways

• how the information will be disposed of, and under whose authority

• how the quality of the information will be maintained (accuracy, consistency, currency, etc.)

• how the information can be made more accessible inside and outside the organisation

• who will be responsible for the various processes of information management

• how all staff are made aware of their responsibilities for information management.

The main information management activities are:

• analysing the business

• defining information needs

• constructing an information inventory

• identifying information surplus and deficiencies

• maintaining a catalogue/index of information content

• measuring the cost and value of the organisation's information

• noting and aligning specialist skills

• exploiting the potential of the organisation's information.

You will need to define policies and processes for:

• electronic document management (EDM) - how information is created, accesses and shared across workgroups

• electronic records management (ERM) - ensuring that your organisation complies with the Public Record Office's requirements (see the e-government framework for electronic records management).

Further information:

The National Archive has produced a wide range of guidance on management of electronic records and is currently developing further advice and guidance. See also the checklist for information management.