Information Management Principles

1                 Introduction

1.1        Purpose

The purpose of this document is to define the Information Quality Principles for the Information Quality Framework. This is a sub component of the overall Information Quality Management Framework., which is itself a subcomponent of the overall Information Quality Management Framework being implemented in the  Performance Management Program.

This document provides the detail of each of the specific components that need to be defined developed and implemented to support the initial adoption of better Information Quality Management in  and are essential to the program’s Project Delivery Stage. In most cases specific documentation will be delivered for each component.

Articulation of the overall vision, Strategy, program scope and critical success factors as well as the overall program governance is covered in the Program Management Plan.

1.2        Background

An organisation’s approach to Information Management is critical to its success. Information Management provides the framework that the business needs in order to maintain, verify and take control of the flow of data fro source to destination, and to plan it’s archival or deprecation.

Implementing Information Quality Management provides a measurable confidence in reporting and information analysis as the final output; the information in the report can be trusted and tracked. If necessary, a data lineage can be reported on to show the information’s source and any transformations that have occurred during its journey to the final user.

The information Quality Framework describes the framework and approach to improving how information is managed, measured and improved upon across . This framework consists of components such as principles, policies, practices, tools, processes, procedures and governance, that work together to manage the information throughout its lifecycle, including maintenance, validation and archival or disposal.

The methodology also involves the application of management techniques to collect information, communicate it within and outside the organisation, and process it to enable managers to make quicker better decisions.

The Information Management Framework is the vehicle for addressing Information Quality Issues and establishing the associated information governance structures, principles and processes.

1.3        Objectives

The Information Quality Framework document will provide the subcomponent of the Information Management Framework. It will describe the quality principals used to support the overall quality Framework.

2                 Information Quality Principles

The Information Quality Principles are derived from and support the Information Management Principles. They define the specific information quality premises that serve as the foundation for the courses of actions for information / data quality within . 

The six (6) Information Quality Principles are:

2.1.1    IQ Principle 1: Fact-based decision making

Both strategic and operational decisions are based on facts that can be sourced back to data / information that is held by .

2.1.2    IQ Principle 2: Integrated data with consistent definitions

One of ’s major assets is information. Each Division or unit is part of the whole and can leverage enterprise information assets in an integrated and synergistic way (that is, the whole is greater than the sum of parts).

2.1.3    IQ Principle 3: Appropriate retention of detailed data

Information is retained whenever physically possible within the constraints of government legislation, corporate ethics and privacy commitments.

2.1.4    IQ Principle 4: Quality of data will be measured

Decision makers not only need access to information, but more importantly they also need to understand the timing, reconciliation, completeness and accuracy of that data.

2.1.5    IQ Principle 5: Appropriate enterprise access

Every member of staff is trusted to handle information appropriately and sensitively. The default position is that a staff member can access information unless there is a specific commercial, legal or ethical reason as to why not.

2.1.6    IQ Principle 6: Every data item has one person or role as ultimate custodian

Every item of data requires unique and ultimate custodianship by a single role and person to ensure that issues or conflicts always have an ultimate point of escalation.