Organisations all over the world have been improving and adopting new information management strategies for years now. The importance of having systems in place to handle the waves of information that we deal with everyday has definitely spread and the benefits have come along as well. Even though this topic has been getting more popular over the past decade there are still many organizations that have not put a priority on implementing an Enterprise Content Management(ECM) system and have not developed an Information Management strategy.

Just like any subject, there are always myths and misconceptions that people have about certain things. There are certainly many misconceptions about information management strategies due to the lack of research and education on the topic. 

Here are four that we hear often:

1. Information governance is IT’s responsibility.

When it comes to choosing the right information management strategy and solution you will usually have decision makers in IT play a big role. The journey does not end there. After you have chosen the right fit for your needs then it comes time for implementation and adoption. If you place all of the responsibility solely on your IT department then you are setting yourself up for failure. It truly takes a teamwork effort from all areas of your organisation to make an ECM solution successful. 

2. Without an ECM you can’t govern your information.

If you are looking for a more structured and automated way of managing your information then an ECM solution would definitely be an avenue you should explore. Do your best to be focused in your solution search and try to address specific problem areas of your organisation. Don’t try to solve it all at once, work on improving your main areas of concern and then leverage the solution to your other areas. The truth is you do not need an ECM to start governing your information. The most common mistake organizations make is failing to plan and strategise. Develop a structure and system for organizing your documents and information. The more you plan and organize now the easier and more successful your ECM implementation will be.

3. Employees always fight change.

In many situations this can be true. I think people in general always have a hard time with change. There will always be those employees who are reluctant to change and who push back on new ideas, but when it comes to information management it is usually not so bad. People will be happy to finally have a system in place for their documents and information. Instead of having to store every document physically and then going crazy to track them down when they need to - they will have a much easier time accessing their information. Once they realize that having an information management system in place is going to help make their job easier then they will be looking forward to this change. 

4. Information Management solutions cost too much.

The question is how do you view your organisations information? Do you see it as just content that everyone has and so you find ways to deal with it? If that’s the way you view your data and information then you may be missing the point. Your information is a critical business asset and it should be leveraged as such. Get the full value from your information and enjoy the assurance and peace of mind that you are minimising your risks and compliance issues with a well-planned information management strategy. The risks and costs of not having one far outweigh the initial investment.  The best part about investing in this area of your business is the huge ROI’s that organisations realize. They end up saving not only a ton of money but also a tremendous amount of valuable employee time. 

The list of misconceptions goes on of course, but for every misconception there is usually a logical explanation. The key is education. Before you make big decisions and investments on new technologies make sure you have spent enough time planning and learning about the best practices and ways to be successful.

Dan Termale is an executive with Konica Minolta Business Solutions.