What is an information management strategy?

A strategy document is similar to an architect’s drawings and plans. It is created by an information management architect. It specifies:

• A discipline required to govern accountability for the structure and design, storage, movement, security, quality, systems development and usage of information required for management and business intelligence purposes; and
• An implementation plan.

Think of it as:

• Looking at where we are (the current situation);
• Deciding where we want to go (the desired situation); and
• Defining how we are going to get there.

Why is it important?

Would you start a major project without a project plan? Not in today’s world when every penny is squeezed so hard your fingers turn copper.

A strategy document is really a project plan with one major objective - successful implementation of information management.

It provides a blueprint for action and confirms the management commitment, approach, schedule and accountabilities required to implement sound information management.

In order to survive in the increasingly information/knowledge based and customer driven economy, businesses must ensure that they remain competitive, efficient and innovative, i.e. they must be able to respond quickly to customer demands and with focus on quality. To achieve this, businesses must appropriately manage internally and externally generated business information through efficient use of new information and communication technologies (ICT). Our Firm, using its business-oriented ICT experts, has the capability to offer the following services:

• To design a new information system that will enable business to compete in information driven economy.
• To define and design corporate information strategy.
• To ensure appropriate use of information networks both as medium and a resource.
• Implementation an effective Business Process Re-engineering (BPR).

The above services are intended to assist business to answer questions such as:

• Does the information system support key business objectives?
• Does the business have information needed about customers and markets?
• Does the information strategy give our business the competitive advantage?
• Does the business get the information it needs when needed?

Summary

An information management strategy is an intensive planning phase where we analyze the current information management situation, develop recommendations for the desired situation, and present an implementation action plan.