Chapter 11 - Sustain EIM and Business Alignment

Abstract

Businesspeople meet and assess the effectiveness of the marketing program, the sales campaign, or the cost-reduction imperative. Businesses revisit their programs frequently. The enterprise information management (EIM) should be no different. This chapter discusses what needs measuring, what to revisit, and what needs to happen if the business environment changes. Many of the metrics presented in this discussion are familiar, but add the dimension of information. In addition, there are new metrics to be considered. Essentially, the organization must be willing to invest in collecting the data and producing the metrics. EIM is about managing assets. One cannot manage what one does not measure. Finally, all but the smallest companies should consider the value of their information in the light of the value of the entire organization. This means applying some of the concepts of intangible asset accounting. Although not official, this exercise forces the EIM area to examine the relevancy of information to the enterprise, and determine risks as well as value.