I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jim Merrifield, IGP, CIGO, and ARMA Board Chair, about ARMA InfoCon 2025 in Phoenix (October 20-22). The conference theme, "Bringing Maturity to Your IG Program," centred on AI's impact on Information Governance and Records Management.
Key insight: IG and RM are crucial disciplines that underpin an organization's ability to deploy AI responsibly. A mature IG program reduces AI risks, such as model drift and biased outputs, by ensuring consistent data quality and comprehensive audit trails.
Standout use cases:
• Healthcare: 15% improvement in resource allocation through AI-powered patient admission predictions
• Banking: 30% reduction in fraud losses via enhanced detection models
• Manufacturing: 25% cost savings through AI-optimized supply chain management
The conference sessions were organized according to the ARMA Information Governance Implementation Model (IGIM v2.1), which was released in April 2025. This industry-leading framework serves as a roadmap for building and enhancing IG programs, covering eight key areas, including Steering Committee, Authorities, Supports, Procedural Framework, Capabilities, Information Lifecycle, and Architecture. By structuring the sessions around IGIM v2.1, the conference provided over 500 participants with practical insights and actionable strategies to advance organizational maturity in each area.
One key takeaway from a session focused on the Procedural Framework was the importance of developing standardized procedures to handle data breaches promptly and effectively, a lesson several organizations cited as crucial. Also, a session on Information Lifecycle highlighted the best practice of regularly updating classification policies to accommodate evolving data types. However, implementing IGIM v2.1 is not without challenges. Common hurdles include securing buy-in from all stakeholders, aligning existing processes with the new framework, and ensuring adequate staff training. To address these challenges, organizations can begin by fostering clear communication across departments, setting clear objectives and milestones, and providing comprehensive training programs.
Impact: 75% of attendees plan to adopt or expand the use of IGIM v2.1 in their organizations.
Getting started with IGIM v2.1:
1. Form a dedicated steering committee
2. Conduct a gap analysis
3. Set measurable goals and timelines
Resources and templates are available on the ARMA website. A mature IG program is critical for long-term success in data governance, compliance, and risk management.
#InformationGovernance #RecordsManagement #AI #ARMAInfoCon #IGIM
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