Research says: focus on business technology agenda to ensure IG success.

• Author: McKinnon, Cheryl
• Position: Information governance

The Forrester Research and ARMA International records management survey, Q3 2014, reveals some bright spots for records and information management (RIM). But, the new "business technology agenda" of investing in tools to attract and serve customers and ensure operational excellence is driving the need for information governance programs to align their focus with these corporate priorities to get the funding and executive sponsorship they need to succeed

2104 marks the sixth year that ARMA International and Forrester Research have surveyed records and information management (RIM) decision-makers in an effort to track the key trends and challenges facing the profession. More than 600 respondents from around the world shared their perspectives in the survey that was conducted during the month of August 2014. A quick summary of the participant demographic data reveals that:

* North America dominated the survey, with U.S. participants at 74% and Canada at 19%.

* Government topped the list of vertical industries at 34%.

* Large enterprises--over $1 billion in revenue--were represented by 20% of respondents (topped only by 35% who chose not to answer).

* 19% of RIM programs report into a corporate services department, with 18% into legal, 15% into IT, 10% into lines of business, 7% into compliance, and 26% into "Other."

When viewed through the lens of other Forrester research, these survey results provide several key takeaways for RIM professionals, including some distinct calls to action.

Reboot IG to Meet Corporate Objectives

Forrester Research has been tracking the shift into what is called the "business technology" (BT) agenda of enterprises increasingly investing in new technologies and changing their systems and processes, specifically to attract, retain, and serve their customers.

Organizations are increasing in vestments in tools for front-line employees and the customers they engage. As reported in Forrester's July 2014 "Top Technologies for Your Business Technology Agenda," business priorities for 2014-15 are clear: grow revenue; improve customer experiences, as well as reduce costs; differentiate in the market; and, of course, improve compliance with regulations.

Business units that support these priorities--sales, customer service, finance, marketing, and research and development--will be the top beneficiaries of new software investment. RIM professionals must recognize these larger corporate objectives and align new information governance (IG) program efforts to meet them.

In discussions with customers as well as key IG vendors, Forrester frequently hears that business cases for IG tied solely to storage cost reduction or risk mitigation are harder and harder to fund. The "defensible disposition" message does not always resonate with senior executives who have been tasked to do other things like grow markets, expand globally, renew contracts, or launch a new mobile strategy.

Successful, sustainable IG programs must align to those corporate objectives in order to gain sponsorship and budget. Organizations that have yet to establish an IG program can start down this path now; 31% of the Forrester Research-ARMA joint survey respondents report that they have "no formal governance structure" for their RIM program.

Address Risks in New Sources of ESI

As organizations move to this BT agenda and increase investment in tools to improve overall customer experience and grow revenue, RIM professionals must do a better job of keeping pace. Year over year, new sources of business communication that produce potential records are among the most neglected when it comes to applying retention policies.

Enterprise social or collaboration sites (including technologies such as Yammer, Chatter, or Jive) are among the content types with the...