Information Governance: Concepts, Strategies, and Best Practices

CHAPTER 10

Information Governance and Information Technology Functions

Information technology (IT) is a core function impacted by information governance (IG) efforts. IT departments typically have been charged with keeping the “plumbing” of IT intact—the network, servers, applications, and data—but although the output of IT is in their custody, they have not been held to account for it; that is, the information, reports, and databases they generate have long been held to be owned by users in business units. This has left a gap of responsibility for governing the information that is being generated and managing it in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements, standards, and best practices.

Certainly, on the IT side, shared responsibility for IG means the IT department itself must take a closer look at IT processes and activities with an eye to IG. A focus on improving IT efficiency, software development processes, and data quality will help contribute to the overall IG program effort. IT is an integral piece of the program.

Debra Logan, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner, states:

Information governance is the only way to comply with regulations, both current and future, and responsibility for it lies with the CIO and the chief legal officer. When organizations suffer high-profile data losses, especially involving violations of the privacy of citizens or consumers, they suffer serious reputational damage and often incur fines or other sanctions. IT leaders ...