What Is Information Management?

Information management is a proven multi-disciplinary strategy which applies sound management principles to the life cycle of an organization's information resources.

The information life cycle includes creation, evaluation, acquisition, organization, representation, control, dissemination, use, protection, and ultimate disposition of information—whatever the format or medium and whether of internal or external origins.

The goals of information management are getting the right information to the right person, at the right time, from the right source, in the right amount, in the right order, in the right form, in the right medium, with optimal accuracy, as quickly as possible—and at the lowest reasonable cost.

To achieve this goal requires cooperation of several disciplines. The information management disciplines include records management, archives management, corporate librarianship, knowledge management, business intelligence, document management, micrographics, and electronic records/imaging systems.

Adoption of records management is the first, or foundational, step in managing organizational information. Without a commitment to records management principles, processes, and practices, future efforts will be hampered.