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FIGURE 7-2
Activity Overview.

OVERVIEW
Activity: Information Maturity

The information management maturity (IMM) of an organization may seem like a driver for data
governance versus a characteristic of DG. After all, if we were “mature” we would not need DG.
It is a bit more involved than that. Anecdotal and hard evidence leads to the conclusion that
organizations with a more proactive approach to information achieve better results. The key
aspect of any discussion around maturity is that IT organizations, at a grass roots level, are
beginning to see that there is a predictable maturity curve to climb around information production
and usage. This, in turn, influences the definition of what the intended level of information
maturity needs to be. There are definite stages of IMM along the way that can be described and
measured.
While we review how the organization produces information and content, the main objective of this
activity is to understand what the organization does with the content and information it produces.
Usually, this assessment is performed online over the company intranet. Questions focus on the relative
impression management has regarding how well the company uses and manages data to its advantage.
This includes use for decisions, communication, and analysis, as well as critical functions such as
R&D or compliance when required by the business. Figure 7-4 is a brief sample of some of the survey
questions.