Why IT Must Pursue an Information Governance Plan
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Why IT Must Pursue an Information Governance Plan
Data becomes more difficult to manage every year, so implementing an effective information governance program helps IT better handle this growing problem. -
In the Works
94% of IT execs said their organization has a formal information governance program or plan to have one. -
Data Diligence
88% said their company is issuing formal data use policies, and 85% said their organization is requiring employees to identify data that is confidential. -
School's in Session
84% said their organization is training employees on storage and archiving. -
Under Review
76% said their company assesses file types to prevent non-critical buildup, and 73% evaluate the financial value of information. -
Secured Asset
82% said their organization deploys data loss prevention tools for structured data. -
Additional Recommendations
81% said their company has implemented information access controls, and the same percentage said they're doing database archiving. -
Company Comparison: Mail Management
79% of IT execs at high performing information governance companies said their organization deploys email archiving, compared to 71% of those at low performing organizations who said this. -
Company Comparison: Rules of Engagement
75% of IT execs at high performing organizations said their company issues formal data use policies, as opposed to 69% of those at low performing companies who claim the same. -
Company Comparison: Collective Effort
77% of IT execs at high performing companies said their organization conducts file archiving, compared to 67% of those at low performing companies who said they're doing this.
The majority of IT executives said their organization is either implementing a formal information governance (IG) program or is planning to do so, according to a recent survey from Veritas. The resulting "State of Information Governance" report defines IG as "the activities and technologies that organizations employ to maximize the value of their information while minimizing associated risks and costs." To support this, the research reveals that most companies are issuing formal data use policies and requiring employees to identify data that is confidential. They're also training staffers on data storage and archiving. In addition, findings break down organizations into those which are "high performing" on IG, and those which are not. While overall adoption rates among both are strong, high performers are more likely to deploy email and file archiving, while issuing formal use policies. "Information is both the lifeblood and the bane of any business, no matter its size, industry or location," according to the report. "Enterprises collect and analyze data from a myriad of internal and external sources to improve business efficiencies and decision-making processes. Yet these volumes of data grow larger and more difficult to manage and control every year … Organizations that implement and follow an effective information governance program are much better able to mitigate risk, demonstrate regulatory compliance and protect and control their information than those that do not." IT execs representing more than 480 organizations in the U.S. and U.K. took part in the research, which was conducted by Ipsos Research.