Information management leaves loopholes: survey


30 Aug 2004

More than a quarter of Irish and UK organisations would not be able to show that the information they hold electronically is accurate, accessible and trustworthy, a new survey has suggested.

Information management trends outlined in the report also indicate that a growing number of organisations see legislative compliance as a major business driver. In 2003 15pc of respondents cited this reason; this year the number rose to 20pc. Laws such as Sarbanes-Oxley in the US put a greater onus on businesses to manage the information that they store.

The survey also revealed that 64pc of organisations believe that the process by which electronic information is managed will be relative to potential future litigation. The importance of email management has also increased in this year’s survey; document and records management is also a key element of technology projects.

Improving efficiency remains the primary aim behind 30pc of document management projects, according to the responses.

It is claimed that effective document and records management can save organisations money as it allows for clear processes and improvements to be made to general operations management.

Technology is considered, however, the least significant aspect of an information management project, the survey data indicated. The most difficult challenges for organisations exist around issues such as managing implementation, changing culture and securing buy-in from end-users.

The survey was carried out by AIIM, the international association for enterprise content management, along with consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Organisations in Ireland and the UK were polled ahead of the Info Ireland show, being held in Dublin’s Burlington Hotel on 14 and 15 September. The first day of the conference will be aimed at the public sector, with the second day’s focus switching to private firms. More information is available at www.infoevent.net.

By Gordon Smith