Why do Information Management?

Why do Information Management? Now that's a good question but not one I have not been asked for quite a while.  However just recently it has has come up a couple of times during broader discussions on Information Governance.  To me, and I suppose to a lot of the people I work and interact with, the need to do information management is a given, it's obvious.

But to some individuals it seems, it is just not obvious at all and hence the question.  To others information or data management is something that they, or more likely some technical people working quietly away in the background,  have been doing for years and they are still facing the same or similar challenges of timely access to quality information. So they are beginning to question the value of information management, perhaps even suggesting their data challenges are just the cost of doing business in whatever industry they are in.

To answer the questions I went back to my old slides and words I have use in the past and which go something like this.

Why do Information Management?

Information is a critical business asset used throughout any business. The information needs of a company are numerous and often based on assets that are unique and irreplaceable. Information is ultimately where the value of a company or organisation comes from and hence should be managed like any other asset.

Business performance depends on the ability of a company to leverage its information to make decisions, reduce risk, and innovate. If it information assets are not managed appropriately then an organisation risks poor performance and ultimately its survival.

The purpose of information management is to:

• Ensure information is managed as a resource to meet the needs of the business.
• Leverage the value of the company's information by promoting and facilitating its use and the sharing of knowledge throughout the enterprise.
• Preserve the value of the company's information by managing and maintaining its quality and security, in a cost effective manner appropriate to its value, criticality and confidentiality, across the full asset lifecycle.
• Ensuring the organisation meets its regulatory, partnership and contractual obligations with respect to the confidentiality, storage, retention and destruction of records. 
• Manage and control information throughout its life cycle with clearly defined custodians, ensuring levels of accuracy, consistency and currency fit for the purpose of conducting the company's business.

Too dull?

But I look at this definition and though it seem to get the point across I still think that there is something missing, but can't seem to put my finger on it. It makes the point but reads too much like a dry, dull corporate statement or policy (and lets face it no-one ever reads those more that once, unless they really need to).  So what is it? Is it perhaps the medium? Perhaps there is something missing. What do you think?

I intend to revisit this important subject and see if I can't come up with a more satisfying reason for managing information.

Do you have a good response to the question "Why do information management?"