Pursue knowledge, collaborative relationships.

• Author: Wiler, Vicki
• Position: IN FOCUS: A Message from the Editor

As an information management professional, you should come away from this issue with a sense of urgency about two things:

1. Increasing your knowledge of your organization's information technology (IT) infrastructure and of legal, compliance, audit, and privacy issues

2. Developing solid working relationships with the people who lead the programs related to these areas These are imperative to the successful collaboration needed to ensure that all information--regardless of format or location--is managed throughout its lifecycle, not only to meet business, fiscal, legal/regulatory, and historical needs, but also to contribute to your organization reaching its strategic goals.

For example, when it is time to decommission a legacy information system, you must be involved to ensure the continued availability and usability of the information it contains. John Phillips, CRM, CDIA, FAI, writes in this issue's cover article that doing this depends on extensive planning to ensure backwards compatibility of systems, software, and data formats. And, he writes, "It must involve people who know how to address data security, privacy, and other information risks."

E-discovery is another area where you should play an important role. Bill Millican points out in his article that a strong records and information management (RIM) program is the foundation for a successful e-discovery strategy. E-discovery staff may not be aware of how critical this is, he writes. "They may believe they have the RIM piece covered because they have information technologists who manage their servers, applications, and the data that resides in them; but, it is not that simple."

If your organization processes customer payment cards, your knowledge about IT, compliance, and privacy and your relationships with the leaders of these business areas may position you to lead a Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance program. Running such a program requires a...