For those of us in the industry, the concepts of information governance (IG) are not foreign. We know that IG is dynamic and there are many methodologies and best practices to help us with our programs. Last February, ARMA released the first version of the IGBOK. A group of 16 writers and experts from various backgrounds along with ARMA staff brainstormed on what the Information Governance Body of Knowledge (IGBOK) was and the information it should contain. Shortly after the ARMA Conference in 2018, the second version or first full version was released. The nearly 300-page second full version is a must have for anyone in the IG space, and for those in the domains IG covers, for example; information privacy, records management, information security, eDiscovery, compliance, and information technology. Below are some examples.
- Basic concepts of accountability, maturity, and framework of IG are covered.
- Determining the value of information and using the information to reduce costs and leverage assets.
- Who the other stakeholders of IG should be and why.
- How to develop and manage an IG program.
- The appendix is full of forms, checklists, and questionnaires needed to implement and manage an IG program.
IG is not for the faint of heart. IG is a significant initiative for any origination, but chances are one is practicing some of IG now, it may not be defined. One can use the IGBOK to help clarify what is being done, determine where gaps exist and work with others to resolve those gaps.
Before the IGBOK, we were often left to our own devices or that of a framework that was specific to one part of IG. Now that that IGBOK is available, one has a resource to help build and manage an IG program.
This article is sponsored by Access
