Information Management Systems are the lifeblood of your organisation

February 11, 2025

Image credit by Kasper Rasmussen on Unsplash



Managing information efficiently is crucial for success of your business.

Information management systems (IMS) play a pivotal role in collecting, storing, organising, and delivering information effectively.

IMS include a set of processes, tools, and technologies that organise, store, and distribute information internally, throughout your business and externally to stakeholders. These systems are designed to ensure that information is readily available, secure, accurate, and accessible to authorised users when needed. IMS encompasses a wide range of tasks, including data collection, curation, retrieval, sharing, and storage.


Key Components of Information Management Systems

  1. Data Ingest: the process of collecting and importing various data and formats into the IMS for processing and analysis. The goal of data ingestion is to clean and store data in an accessible and consistent central repository to prepare it for organisational use.

  2. Data Storage: IMS includes mechanisms for storing data securely and sustainably, using database platforms, SaaS cloud storage or on-premises infrastructure. Best practice data storage ensures data integrity and availability.

  3. Data Organisation: Data managed and classified through metadata and taxonomy, to make it easily searchable and retrievable for stakeholders.

  4. Data Retrieval: IMS should provide efficient methods for users to retrieve and access information quickly. This includes AI smart search, metadata filters, vocabulary assistance, and user-friendly interfaces.

  5. Data Security: Protecting information from unauthorised access or data misuse is a critical aspect of IMS. This also incorporates copyright, data governance and system configuration to allow internal or external metadata views.

  6. Data Sharing: Facilitating information sharing within the organisation is essential for collaboration. IMS should provide tools for controlled sharing and collaboration among users.

  7. Data Removal: Managing the lifecycle of information includes the proper curation, archiving, preservation or disposal of data when it is no longer needed. This often-overlooked component ensures quality over quantity and easier system management.


Types of Information Management Systems

  1. Digital Asset Management Systems (DAMS)

    • Examples: Bynder, Canto, FotoWare, Aprimo, Brandfolder

    • Functionality: Software solution that’s used to efficiently and securely store, organise, manage and share digital files and assets.

  2. Media Asset Management Systems (MAMS)

    • Examples: Damnion, Adobe Experience Manager, Iconik

    • Functionality: Platforms and tools that help brands to manage, store, organise and distribute media files and assets.

  3. Product Information Management Systems (PIMS)

    • Examples: Pimberly, Salsify, Akeneo

    • Functionality: Organise and distribute business product assets in a single source of truth platform, used to centralise, enrich and automate.

  4. Library Management Systems (LMS)

    • Examples: Koha, AccessIt, Libero, Follett

    • Functionality: Software application used by libraries to manage library resources efficiently. It helps librarians organise, catalogue and circulate books, journals, media and other materials available in the library.

  5. Integrated Library Systems (ILS)

    • Examples: Lucidea, Softlink, Soutron Global, Innovative

    • Functionality: An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, used to manage the business process in a library such as cataloguing, acquisitions, valuations curation and circulation. Additionally, it stores, organises, provides advanced search capabilities and distributes digitised library resources.

  6. Collection Management Systems (CMS)

    • Examples: Emu, Vernon, Axiell, Primus

    • Functionality: A platform of document management processes that registers accessions, categorises, and maintains provenance records and movement of collection artefacts.

  7. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems

    • Examples: Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics 365

    • Functionality: CRM systems centralise customer data, interactions, and communications, helping businesses manage relationships, sales, and marketing efforts.

  8. Knowledge Management Systems (KMS)

    • Examples: Confluence, SharePoint Knowledge Base, Bloomfire

    • Functionality: KMS helps organizations capture, organise, and share knowledge, fostering collaboration and improving decision-making.


Best Practises for Implementing Information Management Systems

  1. Define Clear Objectives: Begin by clearly defining your organization's information management goals and objectives. Understand what problems you aim to solve and how IMS can help.

  2. Involve Stakeholders: including end-users, IT, compliance, and legal teams in the planning and implementation process to ensure buy-in and alignment with key business stakeholders.

  3. Choose the Right IMS: Select an IMS that aligns with your organisation's needs, size, and industry. Consider factors like scalability, integration capabilities, and ease of use.

  4. Data Governance: Establish data governance policies and procedures to ensure data quality, accuracy, security, and compliance with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or industry-specific standards.

  5. User Training: Provide comprehensive training to users to ensure they can effectively use the IMS tools and adhere to best practices. User adoption is crucial for success.

  6. Data Security: Implement robust security measures, including encryption, access controls, and regular security audits, to protect sensitive information from breaches and unauthorised access.

  7. Metadata and Taxonomy: Develop a structured metadata and taxonomy system to categorise and tag information, making it easier to find and retrieve.

  8. Regular Data Audits: Conduct regular data audits to identify obsolete or redundant data that can be safely archived or deleted, reducing storage.

  9. Integration: Ensure that your IMS integrates seamlessly with other systems and applications used in your organisation to avoid data silos and improve efficiency.

  10. Continual Improvement: IMS is not a one-time project; it requires ongoing maintenance and improvement. Continually assess its performance and adapt to changing business needs.

  11. Compliance Monitoring: Regularly monitor and audit IMS processes to ensure compliance with data needs, regulations and industry standards.

  12. Disaster Recovery and Backup: Implement robust backup and disaster recovery plans to safeguard against data loss and ensure business continuity in case of unexpected events.


Take Action

Ready to improve your IMS best practices and outcomes?

Informed Byte can help leverage the full potential of your system to drive your business success today and keep it sustainable for tomorrow.

Contact Informed Byte business@informedbyte.com

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IMS Organisation Lifeblood