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In the current economic conditions, developing and implementing a enterprise information strategy may be the approach that helps your organization weather current storms, and architect a infrastructure that is scalable for future business needs. With technology increasingly geared toward customer engagement, businesses must transform how information is viewed across the organization. The aggregation of  information is critical in driving better, smarter business decisions. By transforming how information is viewed, you can began to identify behaviors that promotes or impedes the flow of information.

As a consultant, I have found it interesting how amazingly unaware many companies are about the need for a information management strategy. Considering most companies need for reliable and relevant information to create opportunities for increased efficiencies and competitive advantage. A companies information management strategy establishes objectives for the use of information across the organization. It is driven by organizational objectives and is used to develop information management priorities and requirements.

Alternatively, there are those whom are aware of the need for a information management strategy, but find grasping the scope daunting. With the many sources and channels where valuable information lives right alongside irrelevant information one can understand why. Think about all  bits of information across your organization that on its own may not seem to matter. When that same bit of information is matched with other bits of information, opportunities could be exposed. But other pieces of information can cause diversions, side tracking from core initiatives. How does a organization ascertain the information that is of value and the component that will lead to the next innovation?

First, the  enterprise  information strategy will help the organization consider the behaviors utilized around information and how to leverage these behaviors. Additionally,  it should be used to establish bit-sized prioritized information management initiatives and begin the process of mapping how information is used, by whom and identify areas where innovation could be sparked, regulations complied with, increases in efficiency and/or uncovering of competitive advantage.

But what does goal-driven information management really mean for your organization? How should information initiatives be prioritized?